During the May Day holiday, Ciqikou Ancient Town was bustling with people, and the country's first "Ethiopian Coffee National Promotion Experience Center" (hereinafter referred to as the Experience Center) opened for business. The rich aroma of coffee, combined with traditional Ethiopian music, blends seamlessly with the smoky atmosphere of the ancient town. Citizens and tourists flock in to check-in, creating a lively atmosphere and becoming one of the most popular check-in spots in Chongqing during the May Day holiday.
As soon as I walked into the experience center, the rich aroma of coffee filled my face. The staff dressed in Ethiopian style clothing warmly led the way, with layers of roasted aroma in the on-site baking area and fruity aroma in the hand washing area. The rustling sound of coffee beans and the laughter of tourists could be heard in the ears, creating an immersive exotic atmosphere.
Make fragrant coffee. Image provided by Shapingba District Integrated Media Center
What a pleasant surprise! I was originally visiting an ancient town, but I didn't expect to taste such authentic African coffee, "said Wang Yuwei, a tourist from Chengdu, holding a cup of handmade coffee and repeatedly praising Yejia Xuefei." The entrance is a refreshing citrus aroma, with a lingering aftertaste, paired with local specialty desserts. This trip to the ancient town was so peaceful
Inside the experience area, there are lively figures of immersive experiences everywhere. Someone gathered around a senior Ethiopian barista, stopping to observe the unique ceremony of traditional pottery pot brewing coffee, watching the amber colored coffee slowly flow into the cup, and taking out their phones to capture this special moment. Someone stopped in the live bean display area and personally touched coffee beans from the Yegashefe and Xidamo production areas, listening attentively to the staff explain their flavor characteristics and origin stories. There are also many families with children who personally experience the simple manual punching process, and laughter and joy fill the entire experience center.
The experience of 'drinking coffee+tasting culture' is so special, "said local citizen Liu Yong as he filmed the display of coffee utensils on site." You can also drink good coffee and experience Ethiopian culture up close. You can experience an 'African cultural journey' right at your doorstep, which is perfect for checking in on May Day
Today is the first day of China's zero tariff policy towards 53 African countries, and Shapingba District has also welcomed the opening of the Ethiopian National Coffee Promotion and Experience Center. This is a vivid practice of deepening the integration of China Africa economy, trade, culture and tourism, and empowering economic and trade cooperation with culture and tourism in Shapingba District. Qiu Fengya, Deputy Director of the Shapingba District Commerce Commission and Director of the Three Gorges Square Business District Management Committee, introduced that in order to build a solid bridge for foreign cooperation, Shapingba District is fully committed to promoting enterprises to go global and bring in according to the domestic and foreign trade development system of "port to the world, commercial banks in five states".
It is reported that in recent years, the region has established five specialized teams for foreign cooperation and investment promotion, including ASEAN, Africa, Europe, America, and Central and Western Asia, and has built trade channels connecting countries in Africa, Europe, ASEAN, and other regions. Establishing cultural and tourism business centers in countries such as Egypt, Ethiopia, and Uganda, regularly releasing import and export product lists for Chongqing and African countries, and providing support for the implementation of various cooperation projects.
A series of pragmatic measures have yielded fruitful results. By 2025, the import and export volume of foreign trade in Shapingba District will reach 21.7 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 64.5%. Among them, the trade volume with Africa will increase by 116.2%, and the momentum of China Africa economic and trade cooperation is strong. The landing of this experience center has brought high-quality coffee from Africa into the public eye, and also allowed cultural and economic exchanges between China and Africa to flourish between the blue bricks and black tiles of the porcelain mouth.
We hope that through this immersive experience, everyone can intuitively experience the unique charm of Ethiopian coffee, and also add a touch of African aroma to the blue bricks and black tiles of the ceramic mouth, "said Fan Wushuang, Deputy General Manager of Land Port Hub (Chongqing) Economic and Trade Co., Ltd. During the business period, the entire experience center uses top-grade G1 coffee beans from Ethiopia, insisting on fresh roasting on site and full traceability of products, in order to allow every visitor to taste the purest African coffee flavor. Every time tourists stop and taste, they personally participate in connecting this small bond that links China Africa friendship and promotes economic and trade cooperation. (Chen Qiulin)