The 2012 China Shijiazhuang Northern Tea Expo will be held at the Zhengding International Commodity Shopping Plaza from Sept. 6 to 9. The purpose of the expo is to “show Chinese tea culture and improve northern tea trade”, according to the press conference held by the Shijiazhuang government on August 8.

The expo has attracted 400 sellers and invited more than 150 brand-name tea companies, the companies making up 95 percent, to join in the exhibition.  85 percent of the Tea Expo plan has been finished. The exhibition center has an area of 150,000 square meters, an increase of 30 percent from last year, and two exhibition sections with specially-decorated booths. Over 300 commercial tenants in Northern Tea Town will be also on display.

In this year’s expo, more than 95 percent of the companies will display their products in refined packaging. Besides traditional tea, the commodities on exhibit also include food with tea, tea sets and tea crafts with local characteristics. The specially decorated exhibition section is divided into three zones: green tea, black tea and pu-erh tea. A few of the top brands in this section include Fuding White tea (which comes from the buds and leaves of the Chinese Camellia sinensis plant), Wuyixing Da Hong Pao (literally "Big Red Robe", an important Wuyi Oolongtea), Quanshengdao black tea, Anxi Tieguanyin (literally "Iron Guanyin", a premium variety of Chinese oolong tea originated in the 19th century), Guizhou green tea and Qingliang Mountain Pu-erh.

The expo advocates health and will invite tea experts, scholars and related departments to attend. During the expo, there will be a tea ceremony, tea-making performances and symposia concerning tea and tea food safety aimed at promoting tea safety and tea culture.

Source: China Daily Hebei bureau

Reporter: Liu Xiang