Steeped in tradition: Xi's bond with tea

Tea as a cultural bridge

On diplomatic occasions, Xi used tea as a metaphor to introduce traditional Chinese culture and illustrate Chinese philosophy.

In a speech he made at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium, in 2014, he said: "China represents the Eastern civilization in an important way, while Europe is the birthplace of Western civilization. Chinese people are fond of tea, and Belgians love beer. To me, the moderate tea drinker and passionate beer lover represent two ways of understanding life and knowing the world, and I find them equally rewarding."

In a tea break with Vietnam's ruling party chief Nguyen Phu Trong in Jan 12, 2017, Xi talked about the tea culture that the two countries share. Xi also shared the connotation of the Chinese character of tea (茶), which is formed with Chinese character people (人) between grass (艸) and trees (木).

In May 2020, Xi sent a letter to congratulate the first International Tea Day, saying as a major producer and consumer of tea, China will work to deepen cultural exchanges surrounding tea and allow more people to enjoy lives accompanied by tea.