Tea and tourists see newcomers brewing success

Two decades ago, a group of tea farmers crossed the Taiwan Straits in search of opportunities on the Chinese mainland. They settled down in the mountainous town of Yongfu, Fujian province, which is similar in geography and climate to the area around Alishan Mountain, a major production area for oolong tea in Taiwan.

After years of efforts spent opening up the barren hills, cultivating tea trees and building plants to process the leaves, the newcomers took root in the once backward town, which is now dotted with green terraced gardens. As a result of their success at growing oolong tea, Yongfu has become known as the Alishan Mountain of the Chinese mainland.