In Kazan, Xi Jinping Reflects on the “Tea Road”
On October 23, during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Kazan, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke about the historical significance of the “Tea Road.” He noted, “About 400 years ago, the ‘Tea Road’ connecting our two countries passed through Kazan, bringing tea from the Wuyi Mountain region of China to countless households in Russia.”
For those familiar with history, the “Tea Road” is a well-known path. Since the 17th century, as the Russian demand for tea grew and trade between China and Russia flourished, Chinese merchants seized the opportunity to establish a trade route stretching from the Wuyi Mountains in the south to St. Petersburg in the north. This trade corridor, spanning 13,000 kilometers, became known as the “Tea Road.”
The ancient path facilitated not only the flow of tea but also cultural and informational exchanges over two and a half centuries, underscoring the dynamic trade relationship characterized by the adage “we trade tea for fur.” At its peak, Russian merchants would often set out from Kazan to establish tea processing plants in Hubei, China. This exchange fostered human movement, cultural dissemination, and economic prosperity along the route.
Sergey Karashnikov, Chairman of the Russian International Cooperation Association and Co-Chair of the “Tea Road” International Cooperation Initiative, has emphasized that for centuries, the “Tea Road” has served as an economic and cultural bridge linking China, Russia, and Europe, playing a unique role in fostering grassroots friendships.
In recent years, Xi Jinping has frequently referenced the “Tea Road” in the context of modern Sino-Russian relations, attributing new significance to this historic route. During a state visit to Russia in March 2013, he described the “Tea Road” as a “century-old artery.” He highlighted that after the original “Tea Road” of the 17th century, the China-Russia oil and gas pipelines represent a new, vital connection between the two nations.
In October 2023, during talks with Putin ahead of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in China, Xi discussed enhancing cross-border tourism cooperation along the “Tea Road,” aiming to transform the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor into a high-quality pathway for development.
The trio of China, Mongolia, and Russia has begun collaborative efforts to nominate the “Tea Road” as a World Cultural Heritage site. In March 2019, China’s National Cultural Heritage Administration included the “Tea Road” on the country’s preliminary list of World Heritage sites, elevating its preservation efforts to a national level.
Today, modern transportation networks, including advanced air, road, and rail systems, have replaced the ancient roads, facilitating trade and people-to-people exchanges among China, Mongolia, and Russia. This year, the Mongolian government announced plans to promote the “Tea Road” as a key tourism platform among the three countries under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Despite the evolution of trade, tea remains a significant commodity. As a major tea-consuming country, Russia’s demand for Chinese tea continues to grow, with a substantial amount being exported via the China-Europe Railway Express. Reports indicate that in August 2022, a special train from Hubei carrying approximately 1,000 tons of black tea reached Moscow in just 20 days.
From today’s perspective, the “Tea Road” symbolizes a pragmatic pathway for cooperation centered on tea trade, a medium for cultural exchange and mutual learning, and a genuine bridge connecting people’s hearts—revitalizing and taking on new life as part of the Belt and Road Initiative.
