On June 6, 2025, the Chinese Embassy in the United States hosted the “Tea for Harmony: East Meets West in Music” event. Ambassador Xie Feng attended the event and delivered remarks.

Ambassador Xie noted that the Chinese character for tea, 茶, is structured as an individual between trees and grasses. “Good mountains and waters make good teas.” The Chinese deeply value harmony between man and nature. In the videos of the Chinese vlogger Li Ziqi, one can see how the Chinese flow with the rhythm of the seasons: in late spring, she dried up tea leaves plucked during the grain rain solar term, which is believed to be the best time for tea. In winter, she made ginger rice tea, which keeps one warm the whole day. 

Ambassador Xie said that green is gold. The tea industry has not only boosted China’s economy but also benefited the whole world. From Malipo County in Yunnan Province to Anxi County in Fujian, tea has become the “golden leaves” that lift people out of poverty and lead them to prosperity. Currently, global tea production amounts to over 18 billion US dollars annually, while the value of total tea trade is estimated at around 9.8 billion. Tens of millions of farmers around the globe are living a better life thanks to the industry. As a major tea producer and consumer, China is committed to promoting the sustainable development of the global tea industry so that more people will benefit from it.