Experts say China is a major tea-producing country but still needs to boost the international competitiveness of its tea industry

China is a major tea-producing country, but not a strong one, especially in terms of tea exports, which are mostly raw tea exports; some tea extracts and deeply processed products are also raw, basic tea products. Therefore, whether for extending the tea industry chain, raising the industry's added value, or improving the benefits of tea farmers and tea enterprises, all require the help of various platforms to help tea enterprises make the industry bigger and stronger and enhance the international competitiveness of China's tea industry.

This was stated by Li Zibin, president of the China Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, on the 26th at the establishment ceremony of the Tea Culture Working Committee of the China Association of Small and Medium Enterprises and the unveiling ceremony of the China Origin Tea Farmers Alliance held in Beijing.

Li Zibin said China ranks first in the world in tea output, with more than 40 million mu of tea fields and 80 million tea farmers. China's tea industry has developed into an industry with a complete industrial chain integrating cultivation, processing, commerce, services, training, culture, e-commerce and more, occupying a pivotal position in the national economy. But in the international market, the average price of Chinese tea is only 2 US dollars per kilogram, lower than India's 2.7 US dollars and Sri Lanka's 3.4 US dollars. At the same time, China still has no large tea enterprise that can rival internationally renowned tea brands such as Lipton and hold an absolute advantage in market share.

⟦NL> In response to the current state of China's tea industry, Li Zibin said the Tea Culture Working Committee of the China Association of Small and Medium Enterprises will devote itself to serving as a bridge between the government and tea enterprises, opening up the connection channel between tea products and consumers, and building a cooperation platform and marketing network for small and medium-sized tea enterprises based on integrity, cooperation, pragmatism and innovation, and government-enterprise communication; it will integrate the advantageous resources of the tea industry, make the "cake" of the tea industry bigger and better, continuously cultivate growth-oriented tea enterprise brands that value tea virtue, stress credibility, and are professional and modern, and promote the sound development of the tea industry. The China Origin Tea Farmers Alliance will devote itself to creating a modern tea industry business model, inheriting and developing Chinese tea culture, and making a modest contribution to enabling ordinary people to drink tea they can trust and enjoy.

In addition to vigorously developing the tea industry and achieving rapid growth of the tea economy, the Tea Culture Working Committee will also take enhancing the soft power of tea culture as an important mission. Zhao Yiwu, vice president of the International Confucian Association, vice president of the China Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, and director of the Tea Culture Working Committee, believes that Chinese tea culture is rooted in the long-standing Chinese civilization, is one of China's cultural branches with the greatest historical significance and practical value, and is also a preferred vehicle for building a harmonious society; the Tea Culture Working Committee should do a good job in cultural development for the 80 million people working in the tea industry and strengthen cultural promotion.

Tea farmers Zheng Fangzhi and Chen Rongmao from Wuyishan and Zhao Runchun from Hangzhou introduced at the meeting their insights on protecting, inheriting and developing tea culture. The tea farmer sisters Chen Danhong and Li Xuanlv also introduced their difficult journey over more than ten years of living deep in Wuyishan and carefully tending the 6 Dahongpao mother trees known as the "king of tea."