KATOWICE, Poland, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- The 2018 International Festival of Tea Culture, held in Katowice, southwestern Poland, between Oct. 11 and 13, attracted many local tea lovers and people interested in the Chinese tea culture.

At the opening ceremony, Michal Gramatyka, Vice-Marshal of the Silesian Voivodeship, said he was very happy to see such cultural events held in Katowice, as that allow more Poles to gain knowledge while tasting excellent tea.

He informed that he had just come back from China about a month ago. The main purpose of this trip was to buy good-quality tea, because his wife was a tea lover, and especially liked the Chinese tea.

Yang Xi, president of the Polish Tea Association, said that Chinese tea culture not only consisted of tea drinking, but was also an art and a kind of lifestyle. At present, the Chinese tea culture has spread to every part of the world through the "Belt and Road" Initiative and has become a mean of communication for people from different countries.

The 2018 International Festival of Tea Culture will last for three days. It will showcase Chinese famous teas and tea sets to the audience. A documentary about Chinese tea and Chinese culture will also be displayed, so that local people can understand more about the history and production process of Chinese tea and understand better about the Chinese culture.