Ethiopian Coffee Trading Center Inaugurated in Zhuzhou to Strengthen Access to Chinese Market

Addis Ababa, December 28, 2025 (FMC) — Ethiopia has strengthened its coffee trade engagement with China following the inauguration of a specialty Ethiopian coffee trading center in Zhuzhou, Hunan Province, on Saturday.

The center is designed to function as a hub for coffee exhibitions, commercial transactions, and cultural exchange, supporting broader efforts to deepen trade ties between Ethiopia and China.

The inauguration took place alongside the Ethiopia–China Coffee Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference, which drew nearly 300 participants, including government officials, industry professionals, and business representatives from Ethiopia and Hunan Province.

Organized by the Ethio–China Friendship Committee, the conference seeks to promote Ethiopia’s premium coffee products in the Chinese market while reinforcing bilateral economic cooperation.

Ethiopia, widely regarded as the birthplace of coffee and a major exporter of high-quality beans, has seen China become its fourth-largest coffee export destination. In the past five months alone, Ethiopia exported 16,300 metric tons of coffee to China, earning 113 million U.S. dollars.

In a video address to the conference, President Taye Atske-Selassie reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to expanding cooperation with China in the coffee sector.

Adugna Debela Bote, Director-General of the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority, said the trading center will help create direct sales channels by leveraging Zhuzhou’s cross-border e-commerce pilot zones, enhancing market access and trade efficiency. He added that promoting Ethiopian coffee culture through consumer engagement initiatives will be key to sustaining long-term market growth.

The conference also featured the signing of cooperation agreements between Ethiopian and Chinese enterprises in areas including coffee trade, barter trade platforms, and new energy development.

Hu Xusheng, Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Hunan Provincial People’s Congress, said the conference highlights Hunan Province’s role in advancing China–Africa cooperation, particularly as the permanent host of the China–Africa Economic and Trade Expo.