Nigerian guests and their Chinese friends had a refreshing time at the 2025 Tea for Harmony and Yaji Cultural Salon, a cultural event organized to exhibit China's tea art in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, on Saturday.

The event, themed "Tea in Nature's Whisper: Aroma of Picturesque Jiangnan," was held at the China Cultural Center, in collaboration with the Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Center, represented by a delegation of tea brewing experts and Yue opera and pipa music performers.

Evaluating the thousands-of-year-old daily-life tea art of the Chinese people and the Song Dynasty-style Diancha, which emphasizes the tea whisking culture, the cultural exhibition highlighted harmony, purity, tranquility and respect as the philosophy of China's tea culture, bringing excitement to the Nigerian audience.

"The ethos of China's tea ceremony, such as 'harmony is precious' and 'making friends through tea,' resonates profoundly with Nigeria's cultural values, acting as a spiritual bridge between our two great civilizations," said Yu Dunhai, the Chinese ambassador to Nigeria. "The tea fragrance crossing thousands of miles shows that a small tea leaf not only nourishes the body, but also warms the soul, becoming a 'green envoy' that promotes economic and trade cooperation, and cultural exchanges between China and Nigeria."

Yu said that the tea trade between China and Nigeria was thriving and enhancing trade relations between the two countries, with the introduction of Hainan Baisha tea to the Nigerian market in 2024. He noted that from the sweet tea stalls on the streets of Lagos in Nigeria's southwest region to the mint tea found in the historic city of Kano in the country's north, tea is not just a beverage but an important social bond.

The event, attended by people from all walks of life in Nigeria, including foreign diplomats, government officials, academia, high school students, Nigerian artists, the media and enthusiasts of Chinese tea culture, also exhibited calligraphy, painting and photo displays showcasing Zhejiang's culture and tourism.

"Today is the first time that I have seen a country celebrating one of the most precious beverages, one of the most precious medicinal beverages, that is used globally. I believe tea has now become universal. It is in every country, in every culture, and people enjoy taking tea," said Mukhtar Yawale, permanent secretary of Nigeria's Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, while expressing enthusiasm over the array of Chinese tea at the event.

Yawale lauded China for promoting harmony through its tea culture in consonance with advancing shared humanity, noting that the popularity of tea in homes, markets and corporate spaces speaks to its role as a unifying social lubricant.

"Our ministry is committed to fostering creative enterprises around tea, promoting local adaptations, supporting tea-related festivals, and exploring partnerships that enhance Nigeria's participation in the global tea economy," he added.