Three weeks ago, a seven-metre-long bronze Chinese dragon appeared afloat on Alster Lake in downtown Hamburg. Surrounded by the characteristic green copper rooftops of the Hanseatic harbour city, the mythical animal was facing the direction of the Neo-Renaissance City Hall.
Its unlikely appearance marked the start of more than 200 arts, cultural and business events in the northern German city, in a festival celebrating all things Chinese and emphasising the strengthening of ties that the city has forged with the mainland in recent years.
Starting with an event heralded as Hamburg Summit - China Meets Europe, which boasted the presence of Premier Wen Jiabao, Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and former German chancellor Helmut Kohl, the three weeks brought together business and arts leaders from China and Europe in a city that's increasingly priding itself on the growing influence of China.
As the event closed yesterday, Germany's second-largest city was reflecting on the prominent role being played by its 10,000 Chinese, a community of mainly mainlanders that eclipses the number of Chinese in either the capital, Berlin, or the financial centre, Frankfurt.
'Every year, we have 40 to 60 new Chinese companies setting up office here,' said Aresa Brand, project manager at Hamburg Business Development Corporation, the city government's investment promotion agency.
'This is far more than in any other federal state in Germany.'