At the close of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, CPCYichangMunicipalCommittee and Yichang Municipal People's Government carefully organized the 2019 Yichang International Tea Trade Fair, which has been held for three years consecutively to promote tea export. Since the first International Tea Trade Fair in 2017, this event has scored significant achievements. Statistics shows tea export in Yichang amounted to 32.62 million US dollars in 2018, a year-on-year increase of 36%.

　　Aside from the 11 domestic and foreign guests, this year’s fair has attracted 35 international tea purchasers from 14 countries and regions in Europe, Asia, Africa, America and Oceania to engage in six theme activities and signed tea export agreements of 9,000 tons, the total value reaching up to 110 million US dollars...The signing ceremony was held on the afternoon of May 5, which is the climax of the trade fair.

　　To invite international purchasers to visit, to know and to love Yichang for the purpose of promoting tea export, the government has held the International Tea Trade Fair for 3 consecutive years. And through this platform, Yichang has developed deep friendship with many countries along the Belt and Road and win-win cooperation has delivered benefits to all sides.

　　“The common problem for the 'going out' of Yichang tea is entering overseas markets. Enterprises all worry about incomplete and wrong information and the various risks thus generated. Through the platform set up by the government, high-quality international purchasers are invited to have face-to-face talks with local tea enterprises. At the same time, they get the chance to explore the tea gardens and tea enterprises in person and develop comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the products and local customs so as to dispel doubts. The friendship based on frankness of both Chinese and foreign parties and in-depth discussions on cooperation bring about mutual benefit," Liu Zhenhua, head of the Yichang Bureau of Commerce－the organizer of the 2019 Yichang International Tea Trade Fair, said.

　　“In the process of entering the international market, this tea trade fair has provided us with a golden opportunity!” Tian Hengxiang, chairman of Yichang Shenxi Flower Tea Co., Ltd., who participated in the activity for the first time, said. She also exclaimed that the event made her and purchasers from Belgium and Mongolia reached tea export agreements of not less than 10 million RMB.

　　High Quality Yichang Tea Won Purchasers’ Hearts

　　In order to achieve the expected results, the event sponsors and organizers made careful arrangements for the 2019 Yichang International Tea Trade Fair. Four theme activities were launched from the May 4 to May 5 to ensure a full display of Yichang tea's “three-dimensional image”. The theme activities include: visiting Hubei Caihua Tea Museum, Caihua Tea Production Base, Wufeng Qinggangling Tea Plantation, Wufeng Southwest Tea Market and the Famous Tea Tasting Meeting and Match-Making Meeting of Tea Enterprises, visiting Hubei Yihong Tea Co., Ltd. and Xinding Biotechnology Co., Ltd. and holding the promotion and signing ceremony of the 2019 Yichang International Tea Trade Fair.

　　On May 4, the activity of “2019 Yichang International Tea Trade Fair· Wufeng Stop” was held. The arrival of foreign guests and international buyers activated the beautiful and peaceful banks of Yuyang River.

　　At 8:30, the guests walked into the Hubei Caihua Tea Museum in Yuyangguan town, Wufeng. On arrival, they were deeply impressed by ancient tea-making equipment, rich tea culture as well as the profound history of foreign trade here. After experiencing tea art performance and tasting tea, all of them exclaimed with admiration that Yichang is worthy of the reputation of an important node city on the 10,000-li tea road. It is a city with superior geographical environment and tea here is of high quality.

　　They then visited Qinggangling Tea Plantation, known as "China's Most Beautiful Eco-Tea Garden", to enjoy the scenery of the tea garden and tea picking. Folk songs, the Mountain Shouting Ceremony(a ceremony of offering sacrifices) and tea-picking dances were all alluring. On the way back, Bolatbekkyzy Gulbakyt, manager of GilTex Co., Ltd, said that: "The mountains, the scenery and the people of Yichang are so beautiful! We have confidence in cooperating with beautiful people who live in such beautiful places! "

　　Face-to-face Talks of Cooperation Lead to Good Results

　　On the afternoon, the Famous Tea Tasting Meeting and Match-Making Meeting of Tea Enterprises was held.

　　Guests and international tea purchasers entered Wufeng Southwest Tea Market and started face-to-face talks with 67 local tea enterprises. Sandoyan Marlene, chairman of Sandoyan Investment and Trade Co., Ltd. from Armenia, said: "This time, I have met many Yichang tea enterprises and tasted many kinds of Yichang tea, like black tea, green tea, dark tea and so on. I have the feeling that tea here is of high quality and people here are very kind. I intend to cooperate with several companies, and will sign agreements with them later!" She said that the tea in the current Armenian market mainly comes from China and Sri Lanka. With the advance of the Belt and Road Initiative, the economic and trade cooperation between China and Armenia is getting deeper. This time, she was fortunate enough to have participated in the activities and felt the trade convenience brought about by the Belt and Road Initiative to the two peoples. She was willing to be a bridge in the tea trade between Armenia and Yichang, and will introduce more Yichang tea to the people in her hometown. She also hoped that Yichang will hold more similar activities so that more high quality international businessmen are able to visit, know and introduce Yichang.

　　Through the event, local tea enterprises achieved huge breakthrough in the expansion of their international market. Yichang Shenxi Flower Tea Co., Ltd., which participated in the activity for the first time, signed agreements of 10 million yuan with Belgian and Mongolian businessmen. Tian Hengxiang, board chairman of the company, said excitedly: "This activity is superb! The government sets up the stage for enterprises for free, and I’m glad to participate! This time, I have not only signed agreements, but also found that the coming international tea purchasers are kind and willing to do business! I am sure I will be the first to sign up for such activities in the future. "

　　After the meeting, international tea purchasers entered the 100-year-old Hubei Yihong Tea Industry Co., Ltd. and Xinding Biotechnology Co., Ltd. to experience modern tea-making technology and strict safety testing methods in Yichang. This in-depth field survey impressed international tea purchasers deeply and they all thought that the tea here is green, organic, safe and healthy.

　　Same expectations Yield Real Cooperation

　　On the afternoon of May 5, the tea promotion and signing ceremony was held.

　　The main leaders of CPCYichangMunicipalCommittee and Yichang Municipal People's Government and Moroccan Ambassador to China Aziz Mekual, South Korea’s Consul General in Wuhan Jin Yongzhen, Deputy General Manager of China Export Credit Insurance Corporation Xu Yun, Chairman of Armenia Sandoyan Investment and Trade Co., Ltd. Sandoyan Marlene and other guests gathered with international tea purchasers from all over the world to discuss win-win cooperation, future cooperation opportunities and witnessed the signing of agreements between local tea enterprises and their foreign counterparts of 9,000 tons of tea amounting 110 million US dollars. The friendship and trade connection between Yichang and foreign enterprises will certainly develop and yield real benefits.

　　A bright future for Yichang’s tea export is coming and future generations will surely benefit from it.