China and Spain: A shared ham culture thousands of kilometers apart

Humans love ham and they've come up with all kinds of ways of curing it. From Jinhua ham in China to Jamón Ibérico in Spain, this video explores two culinary traditions shaped by time, patience and craftsmanship. Though separated by geography, these two hams share something deeper: a belief that some things are worth waiting for.

The story begins with the pigs and the landscapes that shape them. On one side, Zhejiang’s "panda pig," on the other, breedacorn-fed Iberian pigs raised in Spain’s oak woodlands. It continues at the table, where food becomes a way of gathering, sharing and building connection.

As China and Spain continue to strengthen trade and people-to-people exchanges, food remains one of the most direct and meaningful ways to understand each other.