Ethiopia promotes coffee, tourism at int'l trade fair in Beijing

Ethiopia is promoting coffee and tourism -- its two pillar industries -- at the ongoing 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing.

At the Ethiopian national pavilion, where the rich aroma of coffee fills the air, Munteha Jemal, Plenipotentiary Minister of the Ethiopian Embassy in China, made and served authentic Ethiopian coffee as part of the country's traditional ceremony.

"In Ethiopia, when we have a coffee ceremony, the house owner not drink the coffee by himself. He's gathering all his neighbors around sitting here," she said.

The process involves roasting, grinding, and boiling the coffee beans before brewing.

As the birthplace of coffee plant, Ethiopia boasts a variety of coffee types grown at different altitudes, each with its unique aroma.

"According to the places where these coffees grew, they have their own special aroma," said Jemal.

Another important sector Ethiopia is trying to promote at the CIFTIS is tourism.

"The tourist attraction places are placed in different parts of Ethiopia, the north, south, east, west, center. For example, if you go to the north you can get this one, to the east you can get this one. These are all registered in UNESCO," said Jemal while showcasing the country's tourism map.

Themed "Global Services, Shared Prosperity", the 2024 CIFTIS, which opened on Thursday and will run till Monday, has attracted attendees from 85 countries and international organizations, as well as over 450 Fortune 500 enterprises and companies taking the lead in their respective industries.

China's Foreign Ministry on Friday reiterated the Chinese government's call for Paraguay to sever so-called "diplomatic ties" with Taiwan authorities and recognize the one-China principle.

Responding to the Paraguayan president's provocative visit to China's Taiwan region, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Lin Jian restated China's position at a regular press briefing in Beijing.

"The one-China principle is a basic norm governing international relations and a prevailing consensus of the international community, and so far 183 countries have established diplomatic ties with the People's Republic of China on the basis of the one-China principle. China urges the Paraguayan authority to stand on the right side of history at an early date and make the right choice of recognizing the one-China principle and severing the so-called diplomatic ties with the Taiwan authorities," he said.