Since its revival in 2012, the Brunei Regatta has drawn the participation of foreign rowers, including dragon boat teams from China.

This year, the Brunei Regatta 2019 concluded on Sunday in hot and rainy weather but still recorded a strong crowd. A tourist, Rodrigo from Spain said it was surprising and interesting to witness a regatta in Brunei, especially the traditional Brunei boats.

Bu Lei, a foreign affairs official from the Nanjing Municipal People's Government,  said Nanjing has participated in the Brunei Regatta a total of four times and that this year the team from Sanjiang University in Nanjing was returning for a second time. The team took part in the 20-man Fiberglass Boat Race.

"Our participation in the Regatta reflects the good relations between Brunei and China," she told the Xinhua News Agency.

Brunei Regatta is a national festival in the Sultanate, with the Sultan also taking part ever since the early 1900s. 

This year, the regatta attracted 1,615 paddlers from 65 teams, including five from overseas.

The team leader and coach of the Sanjiang University team, Tang Wanhong, said, "We are here at the invitation of the Brunei Home Affairs Ministry, and representing the Nanjing local government."

He said the Sanjiang University dragon boat team has been active for more than 10 years, and the Brunei Regatta 2019 was quite competitive. This year, the team came in second, similar to the year before.

Tang noted that there are some similarities between the boats in the Brunei Regatta and the boats in the dragon boat race, but also some differences. 

In dragon boat racing, each boat is decorated like a dragon and there is a drummer seated in the front row that leads the crews on the timing and frequency of paddling strokes by rhythmically beating a drum.