An Ethiopian specialty coffee trading center dedicated to product display, trading, and cultural promotion was unveiled on Saturday in Zhuzhou, Hunan province, a move aimed at facilitating Ethiopian coffee's access to the Chinese market.

The unveiling was part of the China-Ethiopia Coffee Economic and Trade Cooperation Conference held in the city. The event brought together around 300 participants, including government officials, experts, organizational representatives, and business leaders from both Ethiopia and Hunan province.

Ethiopia, widely recognized as the birthplace of coffee, is one of the world's leading suppliers of premium coffee beans. China has emerged as its fourth-largest export destination. According to data from the Ethiopian side, Ethiopia exported 16,300 metric tons of coffee to China in the past five months alone, with a total value of $113 million.

Hu Xusheng, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the Hunan Provincial People's Congress, said at the conference that Hunan — as the permanent venue for the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo — has long been committed to building solid platforms for China–Africa cooperation.

"This conference is a concrete step to implement the outcomes of the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation and to deepen bilateral economic and trade collaboration," Hu said.

Adugna Debela Bote, director-general of the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority, said the unveiling of the Ethiopian Coffee Trading Center will help establish direct sales channels by leveraging the Zhuzhou Cross-Border E-Commerce Pilot Zones, improving efficiency and market access for Ethiopian coffee in China.

Noting that recognition of coffee culture is the cornerstone of long-term market loyalty, Adugna said immersive Ethiopian coffee cultural experiences in Zhuzhou's core commercial districts would help cultivate a loyal consumer base. "This kind of market-deepening strategy is something no advertisement can replace," he said.

Bilateral cooperation agreements covering projects related to barter trade platforms, coffee, and new energy were also signed by several Ethiopian and Chinese enterprises attending the conference.