BEIJING, Apr 22 (Alliance News): Fujian Province, located in southeast China and home to more than 200,000 hectares of tea gardens, continues to play a vital role in promoting China’s tea culture, fostering rural development, and enhancing global friendships.
China, hailed as the birthplace of tea, offers a wide variety of teas including black, white, green, and oolong. Fujian’s Wuyi Mountain, in particular, is recognized globally as the birthplace of black and oolong teas.
The province’s deep-rooted tea heritage has been a cornerstone of Chinese identity and diplomacy.
President Xi Jinping, who spent over 17 years working in Fujian, holds a special connection to its tea culture. In 2002, while serving as the province’s governor, Xi encouraged local farmers to pursue tea cultivation as a sustainable livelihood.
His efforts to promote the tea industry continued through major international events, such as gifting premium Fujian teas at the 2017 BRICS Xiamen Summit.
During a 2021 inspection visit to Fujian, Xi emphasized the importance of integrating tea culture with industry and technology, advocating green development and branding to reinforce the rural economy.
Fujian’s role in international trade has also expanded, notably through the revival of historical routes like the “Great Tea Road”—a trade route that linked China with Russia centuries ago.
Speaking in Kazan in 2024, President Xi reminded Russian President Vladimir Putin of the historic link between Fujian’s Wuyi Mountain and Russian homes through Chinese tea.
Modern initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative have further globalized Fujian’s tea legacy.
The launch of international freight trains from Wuyishan in 2021, including the “Dahongpao Tea Train,” opened new routes for tea exports to Central Asian countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Fujian tea has become more than a product—it’s a symbol of friendship and cooperation, connecting China with the world through a shared appreciation of culture, history, and trade.
