From Diet Coke to Diplomacy: China Pours Tea to Lift US Ties
China hosts International Tea Day celebrations at embassy in Washington (Image Amb Xie Feng)
As Trump and Vance Sip Soda in the White House, Beijing Brews a Plan to Bridge Cultures with Tea’s Ancient Legacy
By MANISH ANAND
NEW DELHI, June 8, 2025 – Diet coke cans hold centre stage in meetings presided over by US President Donald Trump. His deputy JD Vance, the US Vice President, has a diet coke as a companion. But China wants the Trump administration to develop taste for tea.
Coffee and diet coke are known to be beverages of choices for the people of the US. But China believes that tea can bring Beijing and Washington closer.
“Tea connects China with the world and reflects China’s value of harmony in diversity. As early as over 2,000 years ago, Chinese tea started to spread to other parts of the world along the ancient Silk Road and the Tea Horse Road, bringing fragrance rather than conflict wherever it went, and building bridges of exchanges and friendship,” said Xie Feng, the Chinese ambassador in the US, on the occasion of the International Tea Day celebrations at the embassy.
With Trump at helm of the US in his second term, the US efforts to de-couple with China gained pace in the form of reciprocal tariffs. Chinese President Xi Jinping finally made a phone call to Trump at ”persistent requests of the US.” and the two nations are set to resume trade deal talks in the UK next week.
“Over 240 years ago, the American merchant ship ‘Empress of China’ returned to the US laden with Chinese tea, marking the start of trade between our two countries. Around 50 years ago, Chairman Mao Zedong gave President Nixon the famous Da Hong Pao tea as a welcome gift during the latter’s visit to China,” Xie dug into history to connect China-US with the beverage.
He stated that tea formed a “bond between Eastern and Western civilizations,” “…tea offers China’s wisdom to solve the world’s problems through a peaceful path, and bears witness to the history of China and the US ending estrangement and seeking win-win cooperation,” added Xie.
Xie is known to be a trusted aide of Xi, who had purged former Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Qin Gang. Qin was also Chinese ambassador to the US. He was rumoured to have been an ‘American asset’.
Xie stressed that tea and coffee can coexist. “…coffee and tea are not incompatible with each other. Both can perk you up and leave a sweet aftertaste. And guess what: the United States is now the world’s third largest tea importer, while China has nearly 400 million coffee drinkers,” added Xie.
A report of All India Radio said that India climbed to the second spot among top tea exporters in 2024. “India has achieved a significant milestone in the global tea industry, surpassing Sri Lanka to become the world’s second-largest exporter of tea in 2024,” said the report. China holds the top slot.
History of Tea
Tea originated in China, with its earliest documented use dating back to around 2700 BCE. According to legend, Emperor Shen Nung discovered tea when leaves from a Camellia sinensis plant blew into a pot of boiling water, creating an aromatic infusion. The plant, native to regions in southern China, particularly Yunnan, is considered the birthplace of tea cultivation.
Historical records, such as the Classic of Tea (Cha Jing) by Lu Yu (758 CE), detail tea’s cultural and economic significance during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE). Archaeological evidence, including tea residues found in a Han Dynasty tomb (circa 200 BCE) in Hubei, confirms tea’s ancient use, as noted in studies published by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Tea spread to Japan and Korea by the 6th century via Buddhist monks and to Europe through Portuguese and Dutch traders in the 16th century. The British later popularized tea globally, establishing plantations in India and Sri Lanka in the 19th century.
Tea Travels to World
The spread of tea from China via the Tea Horse Road and Silk Route was a pivotal process in globalizing one of the world’s most enduring beverages. Originating in southern China, particularly Yunnan, tea’s journey along these ancient trade networks shaped economies, cultures, and societies across Asia and beyond.
The Tea Horse Road, also known as the Ancient Tea Route, was a network of trade routes connecting tea-producing regions in Yunnan and Sichuan, China, to Tibet, Southwest Asia, and parts of Southeast Asia. Active from at least the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE), it primarily facilitated the exchange of Chinese tea for Tibetan horses, which were vital for military campaigns.
The Silk Route, a broader network of trade routes linking China to Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, played a significant role in spreading tea beyond China’s immediate neighbours. While silk and spices dominated early exchanges, tea emerged as a valuable commodity by the Tang Dynasty.
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