ABUJA, May 25 (MENA) - Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria Yu Dunhai said that tea trade between China and Nigeria is thriving and contributes to enhancing bilateral trade relations.

Yu made the remarks during the “2025 Tea for Harmony Yaji Cultural Salon” event held in Abuja under the theme “Tea in Nature’s Whisper: Aroma of Picturesque Jiangnan,” the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported on Sunday.

The ambassador affirmed that tea trade between China and Nigeria had blossomed in recent years, with the introduction of Hainan Baisha tea to the Nigerian market in 2024.

This marks a new chapter in collaboration between the two nations in relation to the tea industry, he added.

“The tea fragrance crossing thousands of miles shows that a small tea leaf can not only nourish the body but also warm the soul, becoming a ‘green envoy’ that promotes economic, trade cooperation, and cultural exchanges between China and Nigeria,” Yu said.

“From the sweet tea stalls on the streets of Lagos to the mint tea found in the historic city of Kano, tea is not just a beverage but an important social bond,” he added.

Highlighting the significance of tea in Chinese culture, the ambassador explained that the Chinese tea ceremony embodies five millennia of philosophical wisdom, emphasizing harmony, purity, and elegance.

“The ethos of China’s tea ceremony, such as ‘harmony is precious’ and ‘making friends through tea,’ resonates profoundly with Nigeria’s cultural values, acting as a spiritual bridge between our two great civilizations,” he said.

He also pointed out to the elevation of bilateral relations at a meeting in 2024 between both countries’ heads of state in Beijing, which was aimed at deepening cooperation through a three-year initiative called the “Ten Partnership Actions for Modernization,” which focuses on culture, tourism, and education. (MENA)

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