The 2003 BFA's annual meeting will be held on May 18 and 19 in south China's Hainan Province and the tea festival will fall on May 21 and 22 as part of the meeting, said Long.

The festival will provide a chance for related nations to strengthen ties as tea has become a popular beverage throughout the world, said Long. Hangzhou is known for producing the famous Longjing tea.

Officials from Russia, Singapore, the Philippines, Japan, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and other nations will attend thefestival.

The BFA, a non-governmental international organization focusingon major economic issues, is the first international conference organization based in China. More than 1,000 delegates attended the BFA's first annual conference in Bo'ao in April 2002.

(People's Daily April 11, 2003)