The 17th BRICS Summit was held in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro from July 6 to 7, 2025. In recent years, as the Belt and Road Initiative gains momentum, Guangzhou has seen growing exchanges with Latin American countries. Last spring, Ma Tujia, a dim sum chef from Nansha district in Guangzhou, traveled to Brazil as a cultural ambassador between Guangzhou and Rio de Janeiro.

During the three-month journey, Ma witnessed how cuisine can transcend borders and cater for different tastes. He made traditional Cantonese delicacies such as shrimp dumplings, siu mai, and char siu buns, along with the innovative 'Three Treasures of Nansha' on the spot, which sparked a 'Cantonese cuisine craze' in Rio, and allowed more Brazilians to get to know Guangzhou through food. In June 2025, Ma was awarded a special commendation by the Rio de Janeiro City Council in recognition of his outstanding contribution to promoting China-Brazil friendship and strengthening people-to-people ties.

Click on the video to discover Chef Ma's perspective on his extraordinary culinary exchange journey!

Reporters: Lei Yuhong, Xue Yan, Wu Di, Mao Qian (Intern)

Video: Xue Yan, Wu Di, Lei Yuhong, Mao Qian (Intern)

English Subtitles: Wen Junhua, Mao Qian (Intern)

English authors: Wen Junhua, Wu Peipei (Intern) Mao Qian (Intern)