A group of media professionals from countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Sunday began their journey in Gongcheng Yao Autonomous County in south China, experiencing traditional culture and learning about local tourism development to discover how rural revitalization is transforming the area.
As part of the 2024 ASEAN Media Partners Cooperation Week, which kicked off on Friday, an interview project involving media representatives from different ASEAN nations aims to jointly tell stories about the integration of culture and tourism in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, helping the world better understand the region.
For the Yao ethnic group in the county, oil tea is both a tradition and an essential part of daily life. With a history of over 1,500 years, it is recognized as a national-level Intangible Cultural Heritage. The delicacy is also a key social activity and a sign of respect when hosting distinguished guests.
ASEAN media representatives experienced the traditional oil tea-making process firsthand, gaining a deeper appreciation for this ancient custom.
"In making oil tea, ginger, garlic, and green onions are mixed together with a bit of oil. Then mix them, like stir frying vegetables, and add a small amount of water. It's a very interesting process," said Maria from tvOne, an Indonesian television network.
According to official data, as of 2023, there are seven factories producing Gongcheng oil tea. Guilin City, which governs Gongcheng as part of its jurisdiction, has over 1,800 oil tea stores, with a total revenue of about 4 billion yuan (about 555 million U.S. dollars).
In addition to oil tea, Gongcheng County is also known as "Chinese persimmon town." The persimmon industry has played an important role in promoting local rural leisure tourism.
Now, the county has developed a complete and sophisticated persimmon industry chain that covers production, sales, and even the agritainment business, which encourages tourists to experience lifestyles first-hand.
Currently, Gongcheng persimmons are sold across China and also exported overseas. About 450,000 tons of persimmons are exported annually to countries like Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and other ASEAN nations.
"The cultivation of persimmons here has been industrialized, with products sold to various regions. The integration of agriculture and tourism is very good, enriching the local development model, boosting residents' income, and creating more job opportunities," said reporter Boungnang from the Lao National Radio.
ASEAN media personnel explore ethnic culture, agritourism in Guangxi
