Participants dance elegantly while pouring tea, at a tea-making competition in Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/nbedu.gov.cn]

A tea-making competition aiming to promote tea culture to people in countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative was recently held in Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang Province.

The competition, hosted by the city's human resources and social security department, and the education department, as well as the government of Haishu district, attracted more than 300 participants from China and BRI countries.

Twelve teams made the final cut and 10 participants won awards.

Ningbo, dubbed the "Port of Tea", boasts a long history of tea and a rich tea culture. The competition not only helps promote traditional Chinese tea culture, but also helps boost the city's tea trade and tea industry, officials said.

"In Australia, we usually make tea with milk, which is quite different from the Chinese way of tea-making, and I'm very interested in it," said an Australian named Darren, adding that he has been studying the art of tea in China with two friends from Nepal and Tanzania for the competition.

　　Participants make tea at a tea-making competition in Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/nbedu.gov.cn]

Participants write Chinese calligraphy as part of their tea-making ceremony at a tea-making competition in Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/nbedu.gov.cn]

A traditional Chinese instrument is played to accompany the tea-making ceremony at the competition in Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/nbedu.gov.cn]