Opening Ceremony of the 3rd “Maritime Silk Road” International Tea Culture Forum. Photographed by Ye Mao
On June 29, the 3rd “Maritime Silk Road” International Tea Culture Forum 2022, with the theme of “Aromas through Fu Tea on the Maritime Silk Road Tea Passage”, was held in Fuding, Ningde, Fujian Province, and the “Hometown of Chinese White Tea”. More than 250 people, including envoys to China, international friends in Fujian, overseas Chinese in Fujian, experts and scholars in tea circles at home and abroad, representatives of tea merchants and tea enterprises, gathered in Fuding to take tea as the medium, taste good tea and talk about development together.
Ruan Shiwei, vice chairman of Fujian Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Chen Shaojun, former vice chairman of Fujian Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and president of Cross-Strait Tea Exchange Association, Liang Weixin, secretary of Ningde Municipal Party Committee, Ye Shen, deputy director of Propaganda Department of Fujian Provincial Party Committee and president of Fujian Daily, Zhang Yongning, deputy secretary of Ningde Municipal Party Committee and mayor, Yang Fang, Wu Yunming, Li Yan, Chen Mei, Ye Qifa, Huang Jianlong, Lin Qing, Zhou Chunhai, Cai Meisheng and Yang Wensheng, leaders of Ningde City and Fuding City, attended the opening ceremony.
Ruan Shiwei, Vice Chairman of Fujian Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, delivered a speech. Photographed by Ye Mao
Ruan Shiwei said that in recent years, Fujian has continuously exerted the advantages of “Maritime Silk Road Area”, deepened tea culture exchanges with countries and regions along “Maritime Silk Road”, profoundly interpreted the Silk Road spirit with peaceful cooperation, openness and tolerance, and mutual learning, mutual benefit and win-win as the core, and set up a bridge to communicate with the world. I sincerely hope that all the guests and friends at home and abroad will continue to follow Fujian, drink Fu tea, develop Fu industry and enjoy Fu growth with us, and add blessings to the construction of new Fujian in the new development stage.
Liang Weixin, Secretary of Ningde Municipal Party Committee, delivered a speech. Photographed by Ye Mao
The 3rd “Maritime Silk Road” International Tea Culture Forum. Photographed by Ye Mao
According to reports, the purpose of this Forum is to promote the “Fu” culture and “Fu Tea” to the world, promote the exchange and mutual learning of Chinese and foreign tea cultures, and help the construction of “the Belt and Road Initiative” and rural revitalization.
At the event site, Fuding local tea enterprises PINPINTEA, Lvxueya, LM White Tea and Dingbai Tea signed cooperation agreements with overseas Chinese representatives from Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and other countries; held the “Fu” Culture and Recruitment Ceremony of Overseas Propagandists of “Fu Tea”; made video connection with the Tokyo branch venue in Japan; conducted the awarding ceremony of the 3rd “Maritime Silk Road International Cup” Tea Fighting Competition, and medals were awarded to representatives of Cultural Heritage Award, Best Ingenuity Award, Tea King, King of Kings and Excellent Organization Award.
Liang Weixin (left), secretary of Ningde Municipal Party Committee, awarded the certificate to the winner of the King of Kings of the 3rd “Maritime Silk Road International Cup” Tea Fighting Competition. Photographed by Ye Mao
Chen Shihai (third from left), Party Secretary and Chairman of Fujian Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, awarded the winner of the Best Ingenuity Award in the 3rd “Maritime Silk Road International Cup” Tea Fighting Competition. Photographed by Ye Mao
Ningde Mayor Zhang Yongning (third from left) and other leaders awarded certificates to the winner of Tea King of the 3rd “Maritime Silk Road International Cup” Tea Fighting Competition. Photographed by Ye Mao
“Fu” Culture and Recruitment Ceremony of Overseas Propagandists of “Fu Tea”. Photographed by Ye Mao
“Since ancient times, tea has been an important bridge and link between Fujian and the world.” Takashima Shanzi, Minister of the Japanese Embassy in China, said that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, cross-border exchanges have become difficult. “In an extraordinary period, it has become particularly important to rebuild the connection between the worlds through tea.”
Lin Qing, Secretary of Fuding Municipal Party Committee, delivered a speech. Photographed by Liu Chaochao
Ningde is a famous hometown of tea in China. The total area of tea gardens in the city is 1.02 million mu, the annual output is 120,000 tons, and the output value of the whole industrial chain is 21.2 billion yuan; there are 5 national key tea-producing counties, among which 3 are selected as the top ten ecological tea-producing counties in China.
“Every good tea in eastern Fujian contains a long tea charm that runs through ancient and modern times, and it exudes a faint tea fragrance that spans thousands of years.” Liang Weixin, secretary of Ningde Municipal Party Committee, said that we will persist in carrying forward culture with tea, meeting friends with tea and attracting investment with tea, and do a good job in tea culture, tea industry and tea technology, so as to make tea in eastern Fujian fragrant in the world.
Overseas Chinese representatives signed cooperation agreements with local tea enterprises in Fuding. Photographed by Ye Mao
Fuding, as the venue of this “Maritime Silk Road” International Tea Culture Forum, is the “Hometown of Chinese White Tea”. In 2021, the plucking area of tea garden reaches more than 300,000 mu, the comprehensive output value of tea industry is 13.726 billion yuan, providing more than 100,000 jobs, effectively driving 380,000 tea-related people to increase their incomes and acquire wealth, and tea has become a pillar industry for local people to increase production and income. At the same time, Fuding White Tea has been among the top ten public brand values of tea in China for 13 consecutive years.
Lin Qing, secretary of Fuding Municipal Party Committee, expressed the hope that through this platform, the brand influence of Fuding White Tea will be continuously enhanced, the spread of “Fu” culture and tea culture overseas will be promoted, and the green and high-quality development of white tea industry will be promoted.
Sub-forum on the theme of “Reporters and Tea”. Photographed by Ye Mao
The sharing on the theme of “Happy Ningde Green Development”. Photographed by Ye Mao
During this Forum, the participating experts discussed the theme from sub-forum of “Reporters and Tea”, keynote report, theme sharing of “‘Three-Tea’ Helping Rural Revitalization as a Whole” and sharing on the theme of “Happy Ningde Green Development”, taking tea as a medium, meeting friends with tea and discussing the future development direction of tea industry together. (Written by Lu Qiaoqin, Ye Mao)
