The aroma of tea filled a classroom at the Zhongshan campus of Guangdong Open University (Guangdong Polytechnic Institute) on November 9, as nine students from Pakistan learned about Chinese tea culture from Liang Jianghua, a teacher at Zhongshan Experimental Primary School.

They are taking part in a ten-month program in Zhongshan to study intelligent construction technology.

Previously, they had completed two years of Chinese language training in Pakistan and have basic proficiency. In their first month in Zhongshan, they will take 72 class hours of Chinese lessons with three teachers to sharpen their language skills.

Beyond the tea culture session, the university also offers courses in mugwort massage hammer making, Chaoshan Yingge dance and intangible cultural heritage crafts, giving the international students a feel for traditional Chinese culture and a deeper understanding of China.