On-site in Rio | China & Brazil: Friendship steeped in tea

Did you know Brazil was once one of the world's most important tea producers?

In Rio's Botanic Garden, an old tea tree, nurtured by Chinese farmers, stands as a symbol of cultural exchange. These farmers shared tea-growing techniques, igniting a thriving tea industry that even reached European markets.

Beside this tea tree stands an acai tree, Brazil's iconic plant - two trees side by side, a natural emblem of the China-Brazil friendship.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service■