Ethiopia is promoting coffee and tourism -- its two pillar industries -- at the ongoing 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing.
At the Ethiopian national pavilion, where the rich aroma of coffee fills the air, Munteha Jemal, Plenipotentiary Minister of the Ethiopian Embassy in China, made and served authentic Ethiopian coffee as part of the country's traditional ceremony.
"In Ethiopia, when we have a coffee ceremony, the house owner not drink the coffee by himself. He's gathering all his neighbors around sitting here," she said.
The process involves roasting, grinding, and boiling the coffee beans before brewing.
As the birthplace of coffee plant, Ethiopia boasts a variety of coffee types grown at different altitudes, each with its unique aroma.
"According to the places where these coffees grew, they have their own special aroma," said Jemal.
Another important sector Ethiopia is trying to promote at the CIFTIS is tourism.
"The tourist attraction places are placed in different parts of Ethiopia, the north, south, east, west, center. For example, if you go to the north you can get this one, to the east you can get this one. These are all registered in UNESCO," said Jemal while showcasing the country's tourism map.
Themed "Global Services, Shared Prosperity", the 2024 CIFTIS, which opened on Thursday and will run till Monday, has attracted attendees from 85 countries and international organizations, as well as over 450 Fortune 500 enterprises and companies taking the lead in their respective industries.
Ethiopia promotes coffee, tourism at int'l trade fair in Beijing
Ethiopia promotes coffee, tourism at int'l trade fair in Beijing
A group of 30 young people from Taiwan, organized by the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation, have recently attended a series of Confucian cultural events in east China's Shandong Province, contributing to strengthening communication between young people from the mainland and Taiwan, and helping promote cross-Strait relations.
On Monday, the 2025 Cross-Strait Confucius Cultural Spring Gathering opened in Qufu City of Shandong, the birthplace of Confucius. The youth delegation, along with Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the foundation, attended the launch ceremony.
On Tuesday morning, the delegation watched a Confucius memorial ceremony at the city's Temple of Confucius, where they offered floral baskets and recited classical texts to honor the ancient Chinese philosopher.
Confucius (551 BC - 479 BC) was ancient China’s most famous teacher, philosopher and political theorist, whose ideas have profoundly influenced the civilizations of China and other East Asian countries.
Kung Tsui-chang, a direct 79th-generation descendant of Confucius from Taiwan who also traveled with the youth delegation, expressed his hope that similar cultural exchanges would help strengthen ties between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
"The youths from Taiwan and the mainland performed the rituals and played the ritual music together. This cultural resonance transcends language and is the most vivid explanation of our shared cultural root. I believe that by sustained cultural dialogue, compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits, while jointly safeguarding the common cultural root, will enhance mutual understanding, build consensus, and inject more positive energy into cross-Strait peace and national rejuvenation," said Kung, also president of the Confucius Foundation.
During their stay in Shandong, the delegation also participated in other exchange activities in the cities of Tai'an, Qingdao, Zaozhuang, and Jinan.
Taiwan's youth delegation attends Confucian cultural events in mainland
