On 17 September, the Chinese Embassy in Australia hosted an exchange session in Canberra for Australian faculty and student participants of the Sino-Australian Collegiate Rowing and Dragon Boat Friendship Challenge. More than 50 attendees took part, including representatives from four Australian universities, including the University of Melbourne and the University of New South Wales, as well as Chinese and international youth based in the Australian Capital Territory. Participants shared the valuable experiences and unforgettable moments of their recent trip to China. Ambassador Liu Jingsong attended the exchange session and delivered remarks. Minister Li Fanjie, Minister-Counsellor Li Wei, and Counsellor Cheng Zhijie were also present.
The event organisers briefed attendees on the Australian teams’ competition and exchange activities in China. The floor was then opened for candid and heartfelt sharing. An Australian coach praised the mixed dragon boat racing format for rebuilding the power of teamwork, spoke highly of the friendships Australian and Chinese youth forged beyond the language barrier, and thanked the Chinese side for its thoughtful arrangements. The China trip, he said, broadened everyone’s global outlook, and even rekindled professional dreams among some athletes preparing to retire from the university rowing team.
One Australian participant described “rowing in sync, relying on each other” with Chinese teammates in the mixed dragon boat race, and recalled the warm experience of pairing with a young Chinese girl to teach each other English and Chinese. Real exchange, the student said, grows out of everyday human interaction. Another student athlete said the trip shattered the impression of China they had previously formed online, revealing instead the inclusiveness of Chinese culture and the dynamism of Chinese high-tech innovation. That cross-border friendship, the student added, would be a lifelong treasure.
Australian university and secondary school representatives drew on their Chinese-language learning experiences to reflect on the blending of sports and culture, sharing amusing stories of practising tai chi at dawn by a lakeside alongside local Chinese residents. Several teachers and students expressed gratitude for the warmth and hospitality of the Chinese people and said they looked forward to returning to China.
William Burnett, President of the Australian National University branch of the China-Australia Youth Association, said sport is the most natural and powerful common language linking the two countries, and called on more young Australians to view China objectively and take the initiative to experience China firsthand.
The Embassy gave participants books introducing Chinese language and culture, guided them to explore the traditional garden style of the Embassy courtyard, and invited them to savour Chinese cuisines. The gathering wrapped up in a warm and spirited atmosphere, bringing the event to a successful close.
The Sino-Australian Collegiate Rowing and Dragon Boat Friendship Challenge was held successfully in Nanjing, Jiangsu, from 8 to 15 September, a concrete move to implement the important initiative announced by President Xi Jinping during his 2025 meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Beijing: to invite 3,000 to 5,000 young Australians to China for exchange and study over three years. The challenge is a flagship project of the China-Australia Programme for Youth Exchange (CAPYE), co-launched by the Chinese Embassy in Australia together with the Centre for International People-to-People Exchange under China’s Ministry of Education.
Built around a “one competition, two boats, plus cultural experience” framework, the event combined the classic Western sport of rowing with traditional Chinese dragon boat culture, while pairing the competition with study tours and intercultural exchanges. Eleven rowing teams and over 100 faculty and students from six leading Australian universities, including the University of New South Wales, the University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney, competed and engaged in depth with young rowers from eight key Chinese universities, including Nanjing University, Southeast University and Tongji University. During their stay in China, the Australian participants visited universities and enterprises in Nanjing and Yangzhou, competed in the 2026 Nanjing International Universities Rowing Open, and secured multiple top finishes.