SYDNEY, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- Wuyi Mountains and Waters Enter Sydney — the Nanping Tea Culture Promotion Event in Australia opened on the 12th at the China Cultural Centre in Sydney.

Gong Zhiyang, Vice Mayor of Nanping; Ye Wei, Commercial Counsellor of the Chinese Consulate General in Sydney; Peter Ark, Researcher of the Australia-China Heritage Association; Liu Dong, Director of the China Cultural Centre in Sydney and concurrently Director of the Sydney Office of the China National Tourist Office; Chen Ren, Chairman of the Australia-China Entrepreneurs Committee; and 60 guests from Australia's cultural, tourism, and business sectors attended the opening ceremony.

In his remarks, Liu Dong noted that Nanping has a long history of tea culture, with Wuyi rock tea in particular renowned worldwide, attracting tea culture enthusiasts from around the world to visit Nanping and experience Chinese tea culture. This event not only showcases Nanping's natural scenery but also vividly presents the region's rich and diverse cultural traditions.

In her speech, Gong Zhiyang gave a detailed introduction to Nanping's natural resource advantages and historical and cultural heritage. She expressed the hope that this event would further explore the connotation and value of tea culture, build a tea culture brand with Nanping characteristics, promote greater understanding of and affection for Chinese tea culture, and advance in-depth cooperation between China and Australia in tea culture, tourism, and trade.

Ye Wei said that Nanping, as a famous historical and cultural city in China, has a tea culture dating back a thousand years. This event not only deepened participants' understanding of Nanping's investment environment and industrial resources but also provided more opportunities for future cooperation between China and Australia.

In his remarks, Peter Ark recalled his first experience of tasting Chinese tea and said the unique flavor of the tea left a deep impression on him. He noted that even before European colonization of Australia, Chinese tea had already begun to be exported to Australia, demonstrating the long-standing cultural ties between Australia and China.

Chen Ren said that tea is not merely a beverage but a symbol of history and culture. As an ethnic Chinese born in Fujian, China, and raised in Australia, she is immensely proud of her hometown's rich tea culture.

The highlight of the opening ceremony was a Wuyi tea art performance led by Ye Can, an inheritor of Wuyi tea art as intangible cultural heritage. Under Ye Can's detailed explanation, the tea artists demonstrated the 18 steps of Wuyi tea art to the guests, allowing the audience to deeply experience the profound heritage and exquisite craftsmanship of Chinese tea culture.

This Nanping tea culture promotion event will run until September 30.