The China-Sri Lanka Friendship Cup Dragon Boat Championship was successfully held at the Diyawanna Paddling Center in Sri Lanka on May 31. Ambassador Qi Zhenhong, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports S.K. Gamage, Deputy Minister Gunesekara, Secretary of the Ministry Bandara, President of the National Association for Canoeing and Kayaking in Sri Lanka Rear Admiral HNS Perera, former Admiral Priyantha Perera, and nearly 500 dragon boat enthusiasts from various sectors of both China and Sri Lanka attended the event.

Ambassador Qi Zhenhong, on behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka, presented five dragon boats as a donation to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. He emphasized that the Dragon Boat Festival embodies the Chinese worldview of harmony with nature and patriotic sentiments, aligning with humanity's shared pursuit of a better life. Originating from China, it benefits the world. Dragon boat racing symbolizes teamwork, the pursuit of universal values like peace and development, and reflects the spirit of "shared voyage" and the Eastern wisdom of "harmony in diversity". He expressed hope that the dragon boat race would serve as a new starting point for further deepening sports and cultural exchanges and the traditional friendship between the peoples of China and Sri Lanka.

Minister Gamage expressed gratitude to the Chinese side for the generous donation, stating that the spirit of dragon boating serves as a bond connecting cooperation between the two countries. Sri Lanka will further promote water sports nationwide to inspire youth, boost tourism and sports development, and deepen the friendship between China and Sri Lanka.

Rear Admiral Perera remarked that from Colombo to Jaffna, dragon boating transcends sport, serving as a vivid testament to the friendship between the two nations. The extensive participation of Sri Lanka's Navy, Army, Air Force, and youth vividly illustrates the significance of the peoples of both countries rowing side by side, using the racing vessel to carry forward mutual learning between civilizations.

The event was co-hosted by the Chinese Embassy and the Sri Lankan Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, and organized by the National Association for Canoeing and Kayaking in Sri Lanka (NACKSL). It attracted a record-breaking 24 teams with over 330 Chinese and Sri Lankan participants from across Sri Lanka, making it the largest event of its kind in history.