Qingdao's Haiqing town turns tea into gold

Haiqing town, located in Qingdao West Coast New Area (Qingdao WCNA), was recently chosen as a provincial-level "two-mountain" base by the Department of Ecology and Environment of Shandong province.

This designation recognizes the town's commitment to the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets". Haiqing town was the sole town in Qingdao to receive this honor.

The town boasts a tea garden area covering 2,333 hectares, with an annual dried tea production of 2.6 million kilograms. The total output value of the tea industry exceeds 360 million yuan ($49.19 million).

Leveraging this thriving industry, Haiqing town seeks to upgrade overall industrial chain and establish Haiqing tea as a distinct brand. Moreover, the town has successfully marketed innovative tea products such as cup tea and tea beer, achieving nationwide sales of over 2 million units.

In addition to the tea industry, Haiqing town is also committed to promoting tourism and cultural development. It has created a tea mountain countryside complex, contributing to the creation of a high-end cultural tourism complex. Visits to the town have exceeded 400,000, generating an income of over 50 million yuan as of October.

In conjunction with the development of the tea industry, Haiqing town has also cultivated other iconic brands such as Aoshang Rice and Shanmu Passion Fruit. Due to its agricultural achievements, the town has been recognized as a provincial-level agricultural industry strong town.

An aerial view of Haiqing town in Qingdao West Coast New Area, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/Xihaian News]