A tea specialist performs tea art with black brick tea. (Xinhua)
PHNOM PENH, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese tea salon was held at the Royal University of Fine Arts in the capital of Cambodia on Wednesday, attracting hundreds of teachers and students as well as local residents.
Under the theme of "Tea and the World: Global Harmony", the event was one of joint activities to celebrate Cambodia-China people-to-people exchange year 2024.
At the event, Chinese and Cambodian artists performed a variety of traditional dances, as dozens of photographs featuring tea plantation, harvest and production in Southwest China's Yunnan province was exhibited.
"A lot of people in Cambodia drink tea," Cambodian Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeurng Sackona said at the event. The event will help Cambodian tea lovers gain insights into tea culture in China, she said.
The minister said such an event was crucial to help promote cultural relations, mutual respect and understanding, peace, harmony and people-to-people exchanges.
"Cultural exchanges among countries have played an important role in promoting global peace and harmony toward building a community with a shared future for mankind," she said.
Uoch Vuochlun, a 21-year-old student at the Royal University of Fine Arts, said the event is vital, allowing participants to get better understanding about culture in Yunnan.
"We have tasted flavors of different teas, and have also known how they make tea," she told Xinhua.
"This event will help promote people-to-people exchanges between our two countries because the participants here are not only students but also local residents, so they can better understand Chinese culture, and this will result in closer ties between our two peoples," Vuochlun added.
Jiang Qixin, another student of the university, said this was an important cultural exchange between Cambodia and China, enabling the two peoples to gain deeper insights into each other's culture and arts.
"Closeness between our two peoples will importantly contribute to boosting our tourism and economic relations," he told Xinhua.
Qixin, a Cambodian man with Chinese ancestry, said he drinks green tea every day, though it is a bit bitter, but tasty and aromatic.
"Drinking tea can give us more energy and make us not feel sleepy. It is a natural drink that is good to our health," he said.