With the aroma of oolong tea wafting in the air and melodies drifting from guzheng (a traditional Chinese zither) and piano, the Chinese embassy in Washington was transformed into a stage for cultural diplomacy on Friday, and the Chinese ambassador to the United States shared not just the beverage with the guests, but also a Chinese history steeped in tea.

Speaking at the Tea for Harmony: East Meets West in Music reception on a summer evening, Ambassador Xie Feng delivered an ode to the "magical oriental leaves", which he said embody China's principles of modesty and respect for others, and connect China with the world while reflecting its value of harmony in diversity.

For Xie, tea, along with the etiquette surrounding it, symbolizes values that should extend beyond the teahouse and guide diplomacy: balance, equality and mutual respect.

"In a tea ceremony, it is important to ensure everyone tastes the same tea and every cup is served in a respectful manner," he said. "Underlying this is our belief that only with equality and respect can we achieve peaceful coexistence, and harmony brings prosperity to all."

The more than 200 guests attending the event were Americans from various circles and diplomats in Washington who have diverse preferences for what they drink.

Xie said that coffee and tea are not incompatible with each other, and "both can perk you up and leave a sweet aftertaste".

"The United States is now the world's third-largest tea importer, while China has nearly 400 million coffee drinkers," he said. "This has again proved that it is entirely possible for different civilizations to draw on each other and flourish together."

Living cultural form

Xie portrayed tea as a living cultural form, evolving with time and embraced by younger generations worldwide.

He pointed to the global popularity of Chinese brands like Heytea and Chagee, and noted that new Chinese-style tea drinks now generate nearly $50 billion in market value.

"Sitting around a stove to brew tea is becoming a trendy way to connect with friends," he said.

The ambassador invoked history to ground his appeal, recalling the 1784 voyage of the US merchant ship Empress of China, which returned to New York from China with a cargo of tea and marked the beginning of US-China trade.

He also cited late Chairman Mao Zedong's gift of oolong tea from Wuyi Mountain to then US president Richard Nixon during the latter's historic 1972 trip to China, describing tea as "a bond between Eastern and Western civilizations".

"Tea offers China's wisdom to solve the world's problems through a peaceful path, and bears witness to the history of China and the US ending estrangement and seeking win-win cooperation," the envoy said.

Xie also turned the discussion to tensions between the world's two largest economies.

He noted that China-US relations are at a "critical juncture" and warned against efforts to isolate or decouple the two societies.

"Neither a cold war nor a tariff war should be fought or could be won, and neither economic decoupling nor attempts to cut off people-to-people ties would find any support or ever succeed," he said.

Different countries and cultures need to pursue common development through mutual respect and seek common ground despite differences, in order to flourish together, he added.

In his speech, Xie referred to the phone call on Thursday between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, their second since January.

"It is our hope that the US side will work with China in the same direction, follow through on the important consensus reached between the two presidents during their phone calls, roll back erroneous moves taken against China, and create the necessary conditions for bringing the relationship back to the right track," Xie said.

Friday's event, organized by China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the embassy, also marked International Tea Day, which fell on May 21.

It showcased a fusion of Chinese and Western musical traditions, opening with a guzheng solo, High Mountains and Flowing Water, which symbolizes profound friendship, followed by performances of beloved pieces such as Jasmine Flower and Fisherman's Song at Dusk.

Western operatic classics such as Giacomo Puccini's aria O mio babbino caro and George Gershwin's Summertime were also performed, with ensemble performances blending traditional Chinese instruments with violin and piano, culminating in The Brocade Zither, a musical rendering of Tang Dynasty (618-907) poetry.

huanxinzhao@chinadailyusa.com