NANNING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Not far from the bustling exhibition hall of the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO), another vibrant scene is unfolding -- a milk tea festival, making its debut at the 21-year-old CAEXPO and drawing over 100 renowned brands from both domestic and international markets.
At this splendid gala, milk tea enthusiasts can savor a variety of chilled tea drinks infused with Thai lemons, fruit tea crafted with Cambodian longan, and bubble tea made from Vietnamese tapioca starch.
This lively atmosphere reflects a burgeoning arena of economic and trade cooperation being explored by savvy Chinese and ASEAN businesses.
From coffee to durian, and from electronics to high-tech industries, economic exchanges between China and ASEAN countries are continuously deepening, with cooperation across various sectors becoming increasingly robust.
NEW TRENDS, NEW OPPORTUNITIES
Walking through the streets of Nanning, capital city of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the host city of CAEXPO, it's easy to spot people sipping milk tea from straws inserted into plastic bags.
This trend is inspired by Thailand's street-side bagged milk tea beverages.
Zhang Guiwen runs a Thai-style paper bag milk tea shop in Nanning. The shop always receives a flood of orders at lunchtime.
"We prepare the paper bags in advance for the lunch rush. With the high daytime temperatures, consumers are thirsty for refreshing cold drinks. Our bestsellers include Thai milk tea, jasmine lemon tea and Laos iced coffee," Zhang said.
Thai tea beverages carve out a unique niche with their distinctive packaging and flavors amid the intense competition among tea drink brands in the domestic market, Zhang added.
Sharing a long history of tea-drinking culture and similar dietary habits, along with the hot and humid climate in southern China and ASEAN countries, the two sides have sensed significant business opportunities. Leading Chinese milk tea brands like Mixue, CHAGEE and Naixue have already come to the fore in the markets of ASEAN countries.
HEYTEA, which has over 4,000 stores worldwide, launched its first overseas store in Singapore in 2018.
Last month, Naixue opened its first overseas flagship outlet in Bangkok's massive shopping complex Central World, sparking a frenzy among young consumers. "The Southeast Asian market is very promising," said Zhang Yufeng, a senior official at Naixue.
"The rapid economic growth of ASEAN countries, coupled with a population of around 300 million young people, creates a vast market that is essential for the successful expansion of Chinese milk tea brands abroad," said Lei Xiaohua, a researcher with the Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences.
Chinese milk tea brands possess core advantages in supply chains, research and development, talent and management, which ensures their strong competitiveness overseas, making it easier for them to capture market share and seize business opportunities, Lei added.