Southwest China's Yunnan Provinces, the largest coffee growing area in the country, is blessed with high altitudes and a favorable climate ideal for cultivating high-quality coffee beans.
By introducing advanced production technologies and processing machinery, the province has improved local coffee quality and the industry has rapidly expanded in recent years.
In 2022, Yunnan had a total coffee cultivation area of about 7.6 million hectares and its annual output of raw coffee beans exceeded 140,000 tonnes, making a total output value of more than 37 billion yuan (about 5.1 billion U.S. dollars).
Local authorities have launched a series of preferential policies and measures to improve conditions for the coffee producers, operators and growers, and promote sustained and healthy development of the industry.
Expert teams and training courses have also been rolled out over the years across the province to ensure the high-quality development of the industry.
"We provide subsidies for coffee producers with organic certification and green certification, and also offer support for those who cultivate high-quality varieties. Additionally, we have introduced six major policies and measures aimed at promoting the rate of premium coffee production and enhancing the level of deep processing," said Xia Bing, head of an expert team overseeing the development of Yunnan's coffee industry.
"We have been promoting the cultivation of high-quality varieties and adopting best agricultural practices to improve the premium rate. And we prioritize the cultivation of varieties such as Geisha and Tipica, in order to comprehensively enhance the flavor and quality of coffee," said Huang Jiaxiong, a senior coffee expert at the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
In 2023, the percentage of premium coffee produced in Yunnan surged from less than 8 percent to 22.7 percent, while the global average for premium coffee production is only around 10 percent of all coffee grown.
With big improvements in the quality and efficiency of Yunnan's coffee production, its little wonder that the sector is reaching out to international markets.
"What we need to learn is not only the planting technologies, but also the idea of consumption in the international market," said Wang Jiawei, an official from the government of Xinzhai Village in Baoshan City.
In Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood, one of the must-visit destinations in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, Yun Cafe is popular with locals and tourists alike enjoying coffee brewed from Yunnan beans.
"It's blended so good. This is very nice, and I am already a coffee lover, and this coffee is absolutely good," said a female patron at the cafe.
"This area for tourism, they are coming for tourism and they are walk-in customers. Every time they want to try the new things, they like the taste," said the owner of the cafe.
Yunnan's coffee industry brewing strong global market
Yunnan's coffee industry brewing strong global market
Yunnan's coffee industry brewing strong global market
The European Union should abandon trade protectionism and return to the right track of resolving trade disputes through consultation, rather than disregard the appeals of all parties, according to Li Yong, a senior fellow at the China Association of International Trade.
The European Commission announced Friday that it passed a vote to impose punitive tariffs on Chinese battery electric vehicles (EVs), sparking criticism from several European countries and auto industries who warn the move could boomerang against the European Union's (EU) competitiveness.
In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Li criticized the EU's anti-subsidy investigation as a typical example of trade protectionism, highlighting its unfair, non-compliant and unreasonable nature.
"Observing the entire process of the EU's anti-subsidy case, both procedurally and substantively, its grounds are unfair, non-compliant and unreasonable. The investigation, first mentioned in the EU's State of the Union address last September, appears politicized. It was launched not based on reported damages by the auto industry but on speculation, which is a hallmark of trade protectionism," Li said.
Li emphasized China's sincerity in the investigation process, expressing the hope that the EU would abandon its protectionist mindset.
"Throughout the handling of the EU countervailing case, China has demonstrated great sincerity, fully communicating with the industry and showing an open and cooperative attitude and greatest flexibility. However, the final draft ruling is disappointing. The opposition of member states and the concerns of the industry have not been respected. In future negotiations, we hope the EU can abandon its protectionist preconceptions, respect the facts and the demands of all parties, and correct its wrongdoing to return to the right track," Li said.
Despite Friday's vote, China remains open to negotiations to reach an agreement and avoid higher tariffs. Countries like Germany and Hungary have voiced strong opposition to the vote, while car manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz, have indicated that countervailing duties could impair the industry's long-term competitiveness.
The European Commission -- the executive arm of the 27-nation bloc -- maintains that the EU and China are working hard to explore an alternative solution that would be monitorable, enforceable, and fully compatible with World Trade Organization rules.
China says that its position is consistent and clear, firmly opposing the EU's unfair, illegal and unreasonable protectionist approaches in this case.
Amid the row over the EU's controversial tariffs on Chinese EVs, technical teams from China and the EU will resume talks on October 7.
The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade expressed its firm opposition on Saturday, adding that China and the EU should resolve their differences through dialogue in order to reach a solution that aligns with the interests of both parties.
China's Ministry of Commerce on Friday also expressed strong opposition to the EU's decision, considering it "unfair, non-compliant and unreasonable," while acknowledging the EU's political willingness to continue negotiations.
EU should abandon trade protectionism amid row over controversial tariffs on Chinese EVs: expert
