Anxi county, known as the "China Tea Capital" in Quanzhou, Fujian province, launched its first major tea export base on Nov 18, marking a significant milestone as Fujian's first large-scale tea export base.

Famous for its oolong tea and as the birthplace of Tieguanyin, Anxi exports tea to Russia, the European Union and more. For the past 18 years, Anxi's tea exports have passed official inspections, with over 8,000 metric tons exported annually.

National regulations require tea export bases and production enterprises to register with local customs. Previously, Anxi had 52 registered export bases covering over 70,000 mu (approximately 4,690 hectares), which was insufficient compared to the county's 600,000 mu of ecological tea gardens. Many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) had to forgo overseas orders due to insufficient raw materials and non-compliance.

To enhance the quality of Anxi's tea industry, Quanzhou Customs has introduced an innovative regulatory model for major tea export bases. Utilizing a tea industry big data platform, the model strengthens quality control at the source, encourages collaboration among customs, local authorities, and enterprises, and promotes mutual recognition of regulatory standards. This approach aims to elevate the quality of tea exports and support Anxi's growth in both domestic and international markets.

The newly established major base uses a "1+N" regulatory model. The "1" signifies a government-led unified registration, while "N" allows individual enterprises to register their bases according to the requirements of different export countries.

This initiative secures the supply of raw materials and ensures quality, helping SMEs overcome the challenge of fulfilling orders with compliant materials. As a result, SMEs have gained the confidence to expand into overseas markets.