On 26 October 2026 the China International Agricultural Machinery Exhibition 2026 (CIAME 2026) opened at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Tianjin). Among more than 3,000 exhibitors, the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance booth carried six teas and gift sets from TRAVINA – Tam Tra Viet Cooperative, from Thai Nguyen green tea to Hanoi West Lake lotus tea. As a Vietnamese tea exporter, we were honoured to represent Vietnam at the booth, meet trade visitors from China and pour tea for everyone who stopped by. The exhibition runs until 28 October. Before the show we shared what we planned to bring to Tianjin; this is the report from the floor.
About the China International Agricultural Machinery Exhibition 2026
CIAME 2026 is co-organised by the China Agricultural Machinery Distribution Association, the China Association of Agricultural Mechanization and the China Agricultural Machinery Industry Association. According to China News Service, the show covers nearly 300,000 square metres and is expected to receive more than 200,000 professional visits from China and abroad. This year, for the first time, the entire exhibition is held indoors.
| CIAME 2026 at a glance | Official figures |
|---|---|
| Dates | 26–28 October 2026 (opening ceremony on the morning of 26 October) |
| Venue | National Exhibition and Convention Center (Tianjin), China |
| Exhibition area | Nearly 300,000 m², fully indoor |
| Exhibitors | More than 3,000 companies |
| Expected attendance | More than 200,000 professional visits |
| Theme | “Lead · Safeguard · Smart · Green” |
The programme puts “AI + agricultural equipment” at its centre, with dedicated areas for new-energy machinery and agricultural drones, and a special exhibit marking 30 years of the show’s history.
International trade activities
On 25 October, the day before the opening, the 2026 China–International Agricultural Machinery Trade Conference was held, with more than 700 representatives from over 30 countries expected. More than 20 overseas associations and chambers of commerce organised buyer delegations, and the organisers arranged professional purchasing groups from Belt and Road countries. For a farm cooperative, that steady flow of international buyers is what makes a machinery show worth attending.
The theme word “Green” also explains why a booth of clean farm produce belongs at a machinery show: machines make farming more efficient, and clean produce is what the whole chain is working towards.
Invitation and partners
The Vietnam Cooperative Alliance accepted an invitation from the Chinese side to take part in CIAME 2026, with two aims: building trade connections and promoting clean Vietnamese farm products. The booth carries the name “Vietnam Cooperative Alliance 越南合作社联盟”.
The invitation and the working arrangements came from the China Agricultural Machinery Distribution Association. Mr Đỗ Viết Minh, Director of the Association’s Vietnam exhibition programme, worked with the Vietnamese side in China.
At the exhibition we were joined by Mr You Ling, Vice President of the China Agricultural Machinery Distribution Association; Mrs Oanh, representing the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance; and Mrs Hiền, representing the Thai Nguyen Provincial Cooperative Alliance. Directors and representatives of many Vietnamese companies and cooperatives also travelled to Tianjin with the delegation. The link between the Association and Vietnam’s cooperative movement is not new: in April 2026, in Ho Chi Minh City, Mr You Ling attended the launch of CIAME Vietnam 2026 together with the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance.
TRAVINA’s booth and the teas we showed
TRAVINA was represented by Mr Đỗ Hữu Thuận, Chairman and Director of Tam Tra Viet Cooperative, and Ms Nguyễn Thị Thu Thảo, Chief Operating Officer. We chose six products to represent the cooperative on the shelf:
- Trà Gạo Sen Bách Diệp Tây Hồ (Hanoi West Lake Hundred-Petal Lotus Anther-Scented Tea) – Thai Nguyen single-bud tea scented with the anthers of Hundred-Petal lotus from West Lake in Hanoi; the anthers are sifted out after scenting, so the pack holds tea only. We say “Hanoi” on purpose, so it is not confused with the West Lake of Hangzhou.
- Trà Đinh Tiên Sơn (Tien Son Needle Tea) – single-bud tea grown at the foot of the Tam Đảo mountains in La Bằng commune. In its latest test at Vietnam’s National Institute for Food Control, none of the 8 pesticide residues tested were detected.
- Trà Nõn Cánh Hạc (Canh Hac Bud Tea) – a tender bud tea with its own product declaration.
- Hộp Trà Nõn Thượng Hạng (Top-Grade Bud Tea Box) – Thai Nguyen green tea, shown in the green TRAVINA box and in vacuum-sealed bags.
- Tâm Trà Vạn Lộc (Tam Tra Van Loc Gift Set) – the cooperative’s tea gift set.
- Tâm Trà Vạn Phúc (Tam Tra Van Phuc Gift Set) – a gift set of small sachets, handy for tasting.
Hand-painted conical hats and woven trays showing lotus flowers, tea hills, the TRAVINA logo, the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance logo and a “Welcome to Vietnam” greeting gave the booth its colour, together with “Vietnam Special Tea” and “Traditional Handmade Product” stickers. For the show we printed 300 Chinese-language brochures, alongside our English material.
What visitors asked about
Traders and visitors from China picked up brochures, tasted the teas and asked about the products. Most conversations came back to a few practical questions: where the tea is grown, how the lotus scenting is done, what goes into each gift box, and how a buyer in China can receive samples and a quotation.
Our answers were the same at the booth as they are here. TRAVINA tea is grown in Dai Tu and La Bang, Thai Nguyen province. The cooperative has 90 member households and a 40.5-hectare raw-material area cultivated following VietGAP practices, with two processing facilities, in Dai Tu and La Bang; the La Bang facility holds ISO 22000:2018 certification. Our packaging carries the “Thai Nguyen Tea” collective mark, which is a collective mark, not a geographical indication.
What this means for tea buyers in China
For importers, distributors and gift buyers in China looking for a Vietnamese tea exporter, CIAME 2026 was a chance to taste the teas and meet the people behind them before any paperwork. If you visited the booth in Tianjin, or could not make it, the next step is simple.
- Phone: +84 888 199 628
- Email: admin.travina@gmail.com
- Quotations: we quote EXW in USD on request; we do not publish prices.
- Samples and documents: provided per lot.
Please contact us with the tea you are interested in, the estimated quantity and the packaging you need. If we met at the booth, mention it in your message so we can pick up where the conversation left off.
Frequently asked questions
Why did a tea cooperative take part in an agricultural machinery exhibition?
The Vietnam Cooperative Alliance was invited by the Chinese side to join CIAME 2026 to build trade connections and promote clean farm products. TRAVINA contributed its teas to the Alliance’s booth.
Which TRAVINA products were shown in Tianjin?
Trà Gạo Sen Bách Diệp Tây Hồ (Hanoi West Lake lotus tea), Trà Đinh Tiên Sơn, Trà Nõn Cánh Hạc, Hộp Trà Nõn Thượng Hạng, and the Tâm Trà Vạn Lộc and Tâm Trà Vạn Phúc gift sets.
Where is TRAVINA tea grown?
In Dai Tu and La Bang, Thai Nguyen province, Vietnam – not in Tan Cuong. The lotus used for our scented tea comes from West Lake in Hanoi.
Is “Thai Nguyen Tea” on your packaging a geographical indication?
No. It is a collective mark, not a geographical indication.
How can a buyer in China get a quotation and samples?
Call +84 888 199 628 or email admin.travina@gmail.com. We quote EXW in USD on request, and samples and documents are provided per lot.
Sources
- China News Service (chinanews.com.cn), 26 October 2026: report on the opening of CIAME 2026 in Tianjin
- Sohu: “CIAME 2026 preview: ten highlights”
- Sina Finance, 10 October 2026: report on the CIAME 2026 press conference
- VnBusiness, 15 April 2026: report on the launch of CIAME Vietnam 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City
