Kolkata: The Chinese community in Kolkata is taking help of sports to strengthen the bond between the two Asian countries and also assert itself as a stakeholder in the city’s culture and commerce.

Chinese Indian Association is organising a two-month basketball tournament at Pei May School in Tangra to commemorate the 70th national day of the People’s Republic of China. The tournament was inaugurated by Zha Liyou, Chinese consul general in Kolkata, on Saturday. “It’s time to show our sporting skills,” said Liyou, while inaugurating the tournament.

People from the community settled in Kolkata over two centuries ago lending a multi-cultural dimension to the city, though their numbers are fast dwindling. The impact the Chinese community has left on the occupational specializations has been noteworthy. It is believed that one of their biggest gifts to the city has been the Chinese cuisine, though it has been modified to suite local palette. Of late, there has been some tension between the two Asian giants over geo-political issues.

“Sport is one of the most effective means of communication in the modern world. It helps forge alliances, build friendships and strengthen relations between nations,” said Liyou. This is the first time the Chinese community has organised a sporting event in the city. The choice of basketball was obvious as it has emerged as the most popular sport in China. A team comprising employees of the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China is also participating in the tournament.

“Seven teams are participating,” said Bean Ching Law, the president of the Chinese Indian Association in Kolkata that is organising the tournament. Pei May School, the only surviving Chinese school in Kolkata, has a basketball court where members of the Chinese Indian community play regularly.

“We have been taking several steps to join the mainstream. As residents of Kolkata, we are a stakeholder to the culture and commerce of the city as well as the country. Such events will facilitate interaction between the Chinese and the non-Chinese,” said Law. A consulate official said they were promoting Kolkata as a tourist destination in China.

