On July 11, 2026, the Chinese community of Kolkata held a Dragon Boat Race at the Lake Club. Consul General Xu Wei graced the occasion and delivered a speech. Four dragon boat teams, composed of local Chinese and Indian youths, competed in the race, and Chinese cultural performances were also presented. Nearly 1,000 people attended the event, including members of the local Chinese community, friends from various sectors, and representatives of the Consular Corps in Kolkata.

In his remarks, Consul General Xu noted that under the strategic guidance of the two leaders, China-India relations have continued to advance, underpinned by deepening people-to-people exchanges. The Dragon Boat Race has become a global cultural event and an important window to learn about Chinese culture. He commended that the Chinese community of Kolkata has once again organized the Dragon Boat Race after a seven-year hiatus, which fully demonstrates the charm of Chinese culture and embodies the integration of Chinese and Indian civilizations. The Consulate General looks forward to working with friends from all sectors in eastern India to advance the bilateral relationship, like a dragon boat forging ahead, along a sound and stable course.

Consul General Xu and the distinguished guests performed the traditional “eye-dotting” ceremony for the dragon boats. The race was marked by a vibrant atmosphere, with thunderous drumbeats and rolling cheers. Traditional Chinese dragon and lion dances, as well as Chinese song and dance performances by students from local Chinese language classes, drew rounds of applause from the audience.

On the sidelines, Consul General Xu gave interviews to various media outlets, including PTI and ANI, on the latest developments in China-India relations and people-to-people exchanges. The following day, a number of English, Hindi and Bengali media, such as The Times of India, provided positive coverage of the event.