Wu Jianhua, director of the Agricultural Department of Fujian provincial government, said the exposition was designed to promote exchanges and cooperation between China and other parts of the world in tea production and consumption.

Wu said the exposition would feature a number of exhibitions of high quality tea, tea-related drinks, tea sets, packaging, and manufacturing equipment for tea processing.

An auction of special types tea and a trade fair on tea-related processing techniques are also scheduled for the exposition.

Tea producers and dealers from 15 Chinese provinces and 20 countries and regions, including the United States, Germany, Britain, France, Japan and Australia, are expected to attend the exposition.

The exposition is being organized by the agricultural department and other government departments and institutions.

The coastal province of Fujian is famous for its tea production.

With three million tea growers, processors and dealers, Fujian produced 13,390 tons of tea last year, about one fifth of China's total.

Its tea sales totaled 11 billion yuan (US$1.34 billion) last year and its foreign exchange earnings in tea exports topped 100 million US dollars, about one quarter of China's total.

(Xinhua News Agency August 27, 2002)