On June 25, 2024, “Tea for Harmony · Nile Yaji Cultural Salon”, i.e. Xiamen Cultural Tourism Event was successfully held in Cairo. The occasion was graced by the presence of a distinguished assembly comprising more than 150 prominent individuals from various spheres of Chinese and Egyptian society. Notable attendees included former Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf, China’s Ambassador to Egypt and Permanent Representative to the League of Arab States Liao Liqiang, and a delegation of Embassy officials headed by Minister Zhang Zhaoyang, Military Attaché Wang Ruizheng, Minister-Counselor Zhao Liuqing, Minister-Counselor Wu Lijun, Minister-Counselor Lu Chunsheng, Minister-Counselor Zhao Liang, and Counselor Zhang Yi. Also present was the Deputy Director of the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, Wang Guodi.
In his address, Ambassador Liao pointed out that China and Egypt had recently issued the “Joint Statement between the People’s Republic of China and the Arab Republic of Egypt on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”, and announced this year as the “China-Egypt Partnership Year”, charting the course for the future development of bilateral relations. As the inaugural cultural event of the “China-Egypt Partnership Year,” this gathering used tea as a medium to convey friendship, inviting Egyptian guests from all walks of life to savor tea and appreciate its arts, while engaging in dialogues regarding the auspicious prospects of China-Egypt relations. The “two-way convergence” of Chinese tea and the Nile water inspired the exquisite performances of tea masters, who brought to life the distinctive flavors of Tieguanyin, Jasmine tea, Fujian black tea, and Wuyi rock teas. Accompanied by graceful traditional dances, the melodious harmonies of the Nanpi (a plucked string instrument), Sanxian (a three-stringed instrument), and Dongxiao (a bamboo flute), and enhanced by captivating cultural and tourism promotional videos, a panoramic vista of Xiamen, Fujian Province, with tea culture as the main theme, unfolded elegantly. The guests sat together, sipping tea, with the delicate aroma lingering and the aftertaste resonating. The event also featured lively displays of traditional Chinese culture and Xiamen’s cultural and tourism resources through tangible objects, pictures, and other formats, further enriching the participants’ experience and deepening their understanding of China’s heritage and Xiamen’s allure.
Former Prime Minister of Egypt Essam Sharaf Immerses in China’s Traditional Culture
Tea Ceremony Performance
Egyptian Guests Savor Chinese Tea
Former Prime Minister Sharaf stated that the China-Egypt Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has experienced substantial progress in recent years, characterized by productive collaboration across diverse sectors and increasingly close people-to-people exchanges. He himself has visited China multiple times, including two trips to Xiamen, where he was deeply impressed by the rich heritage of Chinese traditional culture and the warm hospitality of the Chinese people.
Nanyin Performance (A Traditional Music Genre of Quanzhou)
Dialogue between Chinese and Arabic Calligraphy
This event was hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China and the Chinese Embassy in Egypt, and organized by the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism and the China Cultural Center in Cairo.
