Tea for Reconciliation event held at China Cultural Center on May 21, 2026. (Lao News Agency)
On May 21, the China Cultural Centre in Laos marked International Tea Day with a “Tea for Reconciliation” event, using tea traditions to promote cultural exchange and strengthen diplomatic ties between Laos and China.
Guests at the event sampled high-quality teas sourced from China’s Yunnan Province, while Chinese tea masters demonstrated centuries-old brewing methods and ceremonial practices. Organisers described tea as more than a beverage, portraying it as a cultural symbol that has long connected communities across borders.
Director of the China Cultural Centre in Laos, Luo Weijian, said that tea has deep historical roots in Chinese civilisation and continues to foster mutual understanding between nations. According to him, the shared appreciation for tea presents new opportunities for bilateral cooperation in both culture and trade.
Lao officials also pointed to the rapid development of the country’s tea industry. Bounchan Kombounyasith, Director General of the Department of Cultivation under the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, noted that Lao tea products have gained wider recognition internationally after the country’s “Yord Ou” tea secured a gold medal at a tea competition in China last year.
Laos currently cultivates tea across more than 7,000 hectares and produced over 17,000 tonnes in 2025. Despite this, exports of dried tea remained relatively modest at just above 1,000 tonnes, earning more than 2 million US dollars, suggesting significant potential for growth in the sector.
China, regarded as the world’s largest tea market, is expected to become an increasingly important destination for Lao tea producers. Officials said this collaboration could expand into tourism, technical training and sustainable agriculture initiatives, thereby supporting rural livelihoods and ethnic communities involved in tea cultivation.
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