The ETC code of practice states tea pesticide residues should be below the maximum residue levels (MRL) given in the relevant legislation. The ETC updates its list of pesticide residues observed in tea every spring. The list contains more than 300 items. The MRL for such commonly known pesticides DDT, Chlordane, and Methidathion are respectively 0.02(mg/kg), 0.20(mg/kg) and 0.1(mg/kg). German legislation is stricter in terms of MRL and has a broader range of tea pesticide residue monitor index.

"Russia and Morocco don't have such codes of practice and as long as my company's tea matches the State's MRL, I've got the green light for export," Jiang says.

Jiang exports about 1,000 tons of green tea to Europe and Africa annually, the latter accounting for 70 percent of the total. She has been told by tea trade dealers that some European tea companies cannot meet the ETC MRL either, including German ones.

A farmer shows her newly collected spring tea in Hangzhou. Gao ming / for China Daily

"In terms of safety, the tea for export from China is very good in general. Only on rare occasions will there be a negative report," Chen says.

Representatives of tea councils from major consumption countries such as Germany, the UK and India gathered at a 2009 International Tea Conference in Chengdu, capital city of Southwest China's Sichuan province. ETC Chairman Thomas Hain has called for strengthening the China-EU dialogue between tea industries and improving the image of Chinese tea through further cooperation.

Zhang Ting, a traditional Chinese medicine expert at Zhejiang Hospital for Armed Police, says: "Green tea is good for health in many ways. For example, it lowers blood pressure and prevents cholesterol from accumulating in blood vessels. On the other hand, tea drinking has some restrictions as well. One should not drink tea with an empty stomach or immediately after having a meal. One should drink it while it's hot and never have tea that has been left overnight. As long as you don't eat the tea leaves, you will be safe from any pesticide residues, because they only dissolve in fat rather than in water."

Mike Bastin, previously a UK university senior lecturer now teaching at China's Tsinghua University in brand management, says: "Although the health benefit of green tea has been known to the Western public, one can hardly recognize any Chinese tea brand in the European market and this has hindered Chinese tea from increasing its global market share."

The total product value of 700 tea companies in China is estimated to be about 30 billion yuan, while that of Unilever's popular Lipton brand registers at 23 billion yuan.

"Lipton is packaged powder tea and it has a sweetened flavor which is no longer in fashion in the UK," Bastin says.

"But it has been advertised heavily and has a distinctive red and yellow logo. Young people in Beijing would think it popular if they have Lipton. That's the power of brand."

"Westerners mainly perceive Chinese tea as a healthy, beautifully aromatic and refined drink," Bastin says.

"When the Chinese tea industry finds the right niche to promote its brand awareness and enhance its consumer confidence, there will be a huge export opportunity for all types of Chinese tea."