STORY: Tibet Vlog: Take a sip of latte in Lhasa
DATELINE: Aug. 17, 2023
LENGTH: 00:05:36
LOCATION: LHASA, China
CATEGORY: ECONOMY
 
SHOTLIST:
1. various of coffee shops in Lhasa
2. STANDUP (English): WU YAO, Xinhua correspondent
3. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): TARAB YONTEN TSOMO, Owner of a coffee shop in Lhasa
4. STANDUP (English): WU YAO, Xinhua correspondent
5. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): TARAB YONTEN TSOMO, Owner of a coffee shop in Lhasa
6. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): HU FAXIANG, Lhasa resident
7. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): Tourist from Wuhan
8. SOUNDBITE (English): WU YAO, Xinhua correspondent
9. SOUNDBITE (English): Local customer
10. SOUNDBITE (English): WU YAO, Xinhua correspondent
11. SOUNDBITE (English): DOUGLAS EDWARD WILFORD, Owner of Summit Cafe
12. STANDUP (English): WU YAO, Xinhua correspondent
13. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): LHAPA WANGDU, College student from Lhasa
14. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): Tourist from Wuhan
15. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): HU FAXIANG, Lhasa resident
16. STANDUP (English): WU YAO, Xinhua correspondent
 
STORYLINE:
 
STANDUP (English): WU YAO, Xinhua correspondent
"Speaking of Tibetan beverages, you may think of the highland barley wine, sweet tea and yak butter tea, but have you tried a cup of freshly brewed coffee? Here in downtown Lhasa, I'm surprised to see coffee shops almost in every block. And some of them blend in perfectly with the Tibetan-style old buildings. Only the aroma gives it away."

SOUNDBITE (Chinese): TARAB YONTEN TSOMO, Owner of a coffee shop in Lhasa
"Here is your Lhasa Latte."

STANDUP (English): WU YAO, Xinhua correspondent
I just ordered a cup of Lhasa Latte and it comes with beautiful silverware. Let me take a sip of it. It actually has the fragrance of grains. So what's special about this Lhasa Latte?

SOUNDBITE (Chinese): TARAB YONTEN TSOMO, Owner of a coffee shop in Lhasa
This is our most popular latte, with some highland barley and some yak Tibetan cheese and butter.

Coffee is not new in Tibet. The beverage was first introduced into the plateau region in the early 20th century. Now, it's easy for you to indulge in a cup of coffee in Lhasa, and often in the Tibetan style.

SOUNDBITE (Chinese): TARAB YONTEN TSOMO, Owner of Nindo Coffee
"The drink is presented in a Tibetan-style bowl and welcomed by both tourists and local customers. Our philosophy is to bring trendy elements into Lhasa, combining them with Tibetan elements. Our coffee beans come from almost all the major coffee-growing regions including Brazil, Ethiopia, Kenya, Colombia as well as China's Yunnan Province."

In addition to using coffee beans from other regions, Tsomo has also been exploring locally-sourced ones. In March this year, she founded a highland coffee lab, processing and roasting coffee beans grown in Tibet.

SOUNDBITE (Chinese): TARAB YONTEN TSOMO, Owner of a coffee shop in Lhasa
In April, we released our first batch of sample coffee beans, which were grown in Medog County of Tibet and processed in Lhasa. Many prominent figures in the industry were pleasantly surprised after brewing it -- Tibet also cultivates coffee, with a unique aroma of some delightful spices.

The aromatic coffee has become an important part of daily life here, especially among the younger generation, just as in other parts of China.

SOUNDBITE (Chinese): HU FAXIANG, Lhasa resident
Many customers have come here in a very relaxed state. They came here to enjoy coffee and enjoy themselves.

SOUNDBITE (Chinese): Tourist from Wuhan
"Drinking coffee is a lifestyle and habit for me. I always try it wherever I go. In Lhasa, I'm even more eager to experience it.

SOUNDBITE (English): WU YAO, Xinhua correspondent
"I saw there are tons of coffee shops in town. Can you recommend some for me?"
SOUNDBITE (English): Local customer
"You should go to Summit Cafe. It's actually the first coffee shop in Lhasa, and opened by an American, Douglas."

So I went on to look for this very first coffee shop in town, which has been around for 18 years.

SOUNDBITE (English): WU YAO, Xinhua correspondent
"Hi, you must be Douglas. I heard a lot of things about you guys from the locals, so I wanna try a cup of coffee here."

SOUNDBITE (English): DOUGLAS EDWARD WILFORD, Owner of Summit Cafe
"Welcome!"

The owner Douglas happily chatted with me, recalling when he first came to Lhasa.

SOUNDBITE (English): DOUGLAS EDWARD WILFORD, Owner of Summit Cafe
"The train was planning to be built, and Lhasa was gonna become a major tourist destination. I've seen the development in China over the last 20, 30 years. It (coffee business in Lhasa) has grown really fast over the last 10 years. We weren't sure how well coffee would go over in Tibet. We kind of developed it for foreign tourism. And locals just jumped on board really fast. So our client base really grew. Tibetans are really open to foreign ideas. Right now, almost all of our clients are locals. We developed a local taste in coffee and it kind of is breaking some boundaries of coffee, but we think it should adapt in every local culture to be something unique.

Tibet has experienced rapid development since a democratic reform in 1959 ended the region's feudal serfdom. Tibet has proven to be quick to adapt to and integrate into the modern world.

In 2022, the per capita disposable income of urban residents in Lhasa was 51,591 yuan (about 7,174 U.S. dollars), an increase of 4.6 percent over the previous year, and 2,308 yuan (about 317 U.S. dollars) higher than the national average.

STANDUP (English): WU YAO, Xinhua correspondent
If you search on the Meituan App for coffee shops in Lhasa, nearly 300 results pop up on the map. Some are hidden in quaint courtyards, some are situated in hip districts, and some are scattered in countryside cabins. I think the booming coffee market is truly a testimony to the vibrant economy and openness of modern Lhasa.

SOUNDBITE (Chinese): LHAPA WANGDU, College student from Lhasa
"Lhasa is always suited for being cosmopolitan."

SOUNDBITE (Chinese): Tourist from Wuhan
Tibet possesses historical characteristics while also embracing modernity and being trendy.

SOUNDBITE (Chinese): HU FAXIANG, Lhasa resident
"I think Lhasa has always been an inclusive, open and united city."

STANDUP (English): WU YAO, Xinhua correspondent
"From my tour today, I've found that in Lhasa, coffee is not just a beverage that stimulates people's taste buds. It also stimulates the fusion between the modern and the traditional, the local and the global."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Lhasa, China.
(XHTV)