Turkish tea products are on display at an event in Istanbul, Turkey, on March 23, 2019. Tea was presented in Istanbul on Saturday as a mutual cultural heritage of Turkey and China. (Xinhua/Xu Suhui)
ISTANBUL, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Tea was presented in Istanbul on Saturday as a mutual cultural heritage of Turkey and China.
Addressing the event organized by the Chinese consulate general in Istanbul and Turkey China Friendship Foundation, Cui Wei, the Chinese consul general, said tea as a drink is traditionally very significant for both Turkish and Chinese people.
"Tea plays an important role in the life of an ordinary Chinese individual," Cui said, noting that tea is displayed in Chinese art and culture in many forms.
As the home to many types of tea, China's Da Hong Pao is among the priciest in the world, with per 500 gram costing 800,000 U.S. dollars, said Cui.
A two-week period in spring until April 5 is the time for the southern region of China to collect green tea leaves, the consul general noted.
Turkey, meanwhile, is dominated by Turkish black tea with a per-capita consumption of 3.5 kg per year.
The country's first tea factory was established in 1947, processing tea leaves mostly produced along the Black Sea region at an altitude of up to 1,000 meters.
Halil Babacan, deputy regional manager of Caykur, the leading tea manufacturer in Turkey, said his company has been exporting Turkish tea to more than 70 countries.
"In addition to the black tea, the interest has been growing in Turkey toward different types of tea products like cold tea and green tea," noted Babacan.
During the event, a tea ceremony was presented by a Chinese woman, while Turkish men from the Black Sea region performed a traditional dance.
A variety of Chinese and Turkish tea products were also put on display.
