As the Dragon Boat Festival races approach, one team representing Pingtung County at the Lukang International Dragon Boat Championships is drawing attention. Twenty-two Vietnamese students from Meiho University formed the "Meiho International Dragon Boat Team", becoming the only team representing Pingtung this year and competing against international teams from different regions.

This year, Meiho University recruited 22 Vietnamese students to form the dragon boat team and participate in the "2026 Lukang Dragon Boat Festival International Dragon Boat Championships". The university said students have devoted their free time to training while learning more about Taiwan's Dragon Boat Festival culture through the competition.

This year's Lukang Dragon Boat Festival competition has attracted 173 teams, including 17 teams in the international division. The 22-member team mainly consists of students from food and nutrition, tourism, and hospitality departments. They have undergone about one month of intensive training in preparation for the race.

Students said that although some members had previous experience with dragon boat activities, most are participating in an official competition for the first time. To prepare for the race, they train after class and on weekends, building teamwork and physical endurance despite the hot weather.

Vietnam and Taiwan share many similarities in Dragon Boat Festival traditions, including dragon boat racing. Through participation in the competition, students can experience Taiwanese festival culture while strengthening cross-cultural interaction through teamwork and sports exchanges.