A singing contest of Chinese songs for overseas Chinese was held in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The contest is part of the "Water Cube Cup" Chinese Songs Singing Competition, a global activity designed to introduce Chinese culture and tell Chinese stories to the world.

A total of 72 participants joined the singing contest, and 12 of them received awards. Three first-prize winners of Sunday's contest will participate in the final of "Water Cube Cup" Chinese Songs Singing Competition scheduled for August in Beijing.

Addressing the contest, Chinese Deputy Consul General in Los Angeles Dai Shuangming called the Water Cube a bridge between overseas Chinese and their motherland. He encouraged overseas Chinese to act as envoys for promoting China-U.S. cultural exchanges and spreading Chinese culture.

The Water Cube is still a beautiful symbol for the Beijing Olympic Games 11 years after it was held in 2008, Dai added.

Hao Ruiran, one of the top prize winners, told Xinhua he likes singing Chinese songs from his childhood. He believes Chinese songs are full of charm and cultural connotations.

It is the second time the 16-year-old participated in the singing contest. He said he expects to show his best in the final competition in Beijing.

Zhou Yanyu, head of the organizing committee, told Xinhua that each year, about 7,000 participants join the singing contest in over 40 divisions of 25 countries. Some 110 winners from preliminary contest overseas will compete in the final in Beijing.

The "Water Cube Cup" Chinese Songs Singing Competition is sponsored by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the Chinese State Council, the Beijing municipal government and the All-China Youth Federation.