Decade of discovery

The Guilin team is trying on costumes and performing caidiao, a traditional opera art from Guangxi. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Meanwhile, this appreciation for tea has inspired Loo to write a song about tea. "It's going to be a song of healing," she noted. "I think drinking tea is like meditation. Step by step, you slowly brew the tea and savors it."

The Hanoi field trip team explored the rich tapestry of collaboration and influence from China, both in the past and the present. The team embarked on a city walk using Vietnam's first light rail metro system which was demonstrative of just one significant project that derived from China's BRI and Vietnam's Two Corridors and One Economic Circle plan.

Hoang Quoc Trung, an anchor from Hanoi TV, expressed his sheer delight at the efficiency of the light rail. "With the light rail, I can get to my destination faster than ever. There's also less pollution and zero traffic," he said.

Along the light rail route stood the Vietnamese Confucian Temple, a testament to the enduring influence of China's Confucian teachings during the feudal period in Vietnam. "Confucius' ideology had a profound impact on Vietnam's education, politics, morality, and social values," Hoang said. "Vietnamese Confucian temples reflect the historical emphasis on education as a means of cultivating talents to strengthen the nation."

The enduring connection between China and Vietnam has been manifested in various fields, including cross-border e-commerce. During the field trip in Hanoi, the team explored the bustling Dong Xuan Market, where people can easily buy Chinese snacks and electronics.

Thanks to the BRI, numerous brands, logistics enterprises, and factories from China have invested in Vietnam. "These investment projects are more than beneficial," Hoang said. "They've brought countless job opportunities for Vietnamese people and boasted economic development."

Like Nan and Arce, Hoang and his fieldtrip mates also did live-streaming, and one of them was a promotional video for the Liuzhou luosifen (river snail rice noodles), a dish in Guangxi that's famous for its stinky smell. The team gave detailed descriptions of the delectable hot and sour rice noodle as they savored it, predicting its potential popularity among the Vietnamese if the spiciness was adjusted to local preferences.

Hoang also recognizes the advantages of e-commerce live-streaming.

"It's an emerging sales method that enables us to build connections with our audiences," he said. "By applying our knowledge and skills on these platforms, we can enhance our competitiveness in the job market. Exploring new trends like this also aids us in gaining a better understanding of our audience's needs."