At a dialogue event between deputies to the 14th National People's Congress and journalists from overseas media in Beijing on March 9, an unusual citrus fruit called Huajuhong from southern China caught the attention of foreign journalists.
To be specific, Huajuhong is a fruit from Guangdong Province in southern China, where people traditionally use its thick aromatic peel rather than the flesh. For centuries, it has been valued in Chinese herbal culture for helping relieve coughs and soothe sore throats.
Today, Huajuhong is often processed into a variety of products, including herbal paste, throat candies, teas, and drinks. Some people also slice the peel and brew it directly as tea at home.
The fruit has recently gained wider attention after China's Vice Foreign Minister Hua Chunying tried a Huajuhong candy during China's annual "Two Sessions" meetings in Beijing, praising it as one of the best throat-soothing products she had tasted.
At the event, foreign journalists were curious to experience it themselves. "It's strong," said Helena Kočová, a journalist from the Czech Republic, after smelling the fruit. "It's like wood and pepper, maybe some herbs. I feel like it opens my nose. It's surprising."
Some reporters also tasted Huajuhong products. "It's a bit like honey," said Yehimy Alison, a journalist from Paraguay. "It's sweet, and it feels like it opens up your throat and airways. It's an excellent product. I have to say it's delicious."
Beyond its traditional uses, Huajuhong has also become an important driver of local development. In Huazhou, Guangdong, Huajuhong has grown into a major local industry. The region now has more than 130,000 mu of plantations and over 1,500 companies involved in the processing and production of Huajuhong.
Today, the industry generates more than 10 billion yuan (about $1.4 billion) in annual output value and has helped create jobs and increase incomes for around 350,000 residents, many of them in rural communities.
Sometimes, the story of development in China starts with something very small, even a single fruit.
Reporter: Li Fangwang
Photo: Guo Hongda
Cameraman: Guo Hongda, Liu Xiaodi
Video Editor: Guo Hongda
Poster: Li Fangwang
