Liberia’s Tsingtao Beer Festival shows how Belt and Road can boost economies via lifestyle events

Foreign tourists raise a toast with Tsingtao beer at the 29th Qingdao International Beer Festival in Qingdao, Shandong province, in July 2019. (LI ZIHENG / XINHUA)

An ecstatic crowd filled the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium, a multipurpose complex in Paynesville, a suburb of Monrovia, capital of Liberia, on the night of Dec 22.

However, the gathering was not to watch soccer, which is the most popular sport in the city. The stadium was the venue of the maiden beer festival in the West African country.

The Belt and Road Tsingtao Beer Festival, a two-day jamboree, was organized in line with the spirit of China’s Belt and Road Initiative for promoting trade, sports, tourism, culture, and strengthening the mutual understanding and friendship among peoples of the world, organizers said.

The beer festival is being held in 15 countries between December 2019 and October this year.

Amid a colorful display of Liberian arts and culture during the festival, which climaxed on Dec 22, a window of opportunity opened for citizens in various fields.

In Liberia, Tsingtao beer is one of the top imported brands. The Chinese beer brand entered the West African market about a decade ago, providing many opportunities, including jobs, for young people.

For Liberia as a nation, it was a chance to promote arts and culture to the world. One such example was a display of various tribal marks from the country’s 15 counties during the festival.

Lance Gbayongon, Liberia’s deputy minister of information, culture, and tourism, said the festival presents a platform for the government to engage with Tsingtao — brewed and bottled by Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd in China’s Qingdao city, Shandong province — as a way of promoting culture and tourism.

“This festival is not just to drink, but also to promote peace and reconciliation for national unity,” Gbayongon said.

During the festival, participants over the age of 18 enjoyed many cultural and art activities.

“This is a great opportunity for me to celebrate the peace and reconciliation that is fast returning to my country,” said Faith Bangura, a local arts and culture journalist.

For many local traders, the festival was a way to make brisk sales. Local vendors spread across the 35,000-capacity stadium to serve customers.

For Wilson Nyanneh, CEO of Nyanneh Company Incorporated, the sole importer of the popular Tsingtao beer in Liberia, the aim is to promote the country and network to improve its image.

“I came into partnership with Tsingtao in 2010. I came across Tsingtao when I was in China back in the day. I used to drink Tsingtao in Germany and Europe. When I came back to Liberia, I could not find the beer in the region, so I decided to invest in the product and make sure that the product’s brand got to Liberia,” Nyanneh said. “As you can see, my people love it.”

Foreigners enjoy Tsingtao beer at the 29th Qingdao International Beer Festival. (WANG HAIBIN / FOR CHINA DAILY)

Nyanneh said efforts will be made to annually organize the festival, as a way of creating even bigger opportunities between the people of Monrovia and Qingdao, the origin of Tsingtao beer, and people across the world.

Established in 1903, Tsingtao is currently among the top six in the world, according to Xing Zhidong, the manager in charge of the African market in the Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd.

Xing said Tsingtao has been exported to over 100 locations and regions across the world, including Liberia, which is one of the top markets for Tsingtao beer in Africa.

“We are grateful that we have this opportunity to take Tsingtao beer festival to Liberia. It is very important to us. It is connected with China’s Belt and Road Initiative,” he said.

“Liberia is part of the Belt and Road Initiative countries. The two companies come from two different cities — Monrovia and Qingdao. These two cities just became sister cities, which is great for the business between our two companies. It brings a close connection between them for business, trade, cultural exchange and also in development,” the Chinese senior executive said.

Xing said he hoped the beer festival can be a platform not only to encourage the beer business but also to promote the mutual exchange between the two cities and the two countries.

In an interview ahead of the festival, Chinese Ambassador to Liberia Fu Jijun said that just like other global beer festivals, the Tsingtao Beer Festival will promote tourism and culture in the West African nation and deepen China-Liberia cooperation.

“It will not only bring more business people to Liberia, but also be a good platform to show Liberian arts and culture, and promote Liberian image as an attractive tourist destination,” Fu said.

Venie Geetoe, a sales representative of a local water-bottling company, said: “I am so glad and happy because my sales are growing. I am happy with this colorful beer festival and those who organized it. I have made lots of profit. We bring very cheap water for the people.

“Today, we are doing our best. I wish this festival could occur every month. I want to make more money for my company so that they can be proud of us,” Geetoe said.

The opportunities created by the international beer festival were not limited to Liberians alone, but also tourists who came from other parts of the world to add glitz and glamor to it.

Tom Crow, an American tourist, said he and his friends decided to visit Liberia during his annual vacation to join the celebrations.

“This is my first international beer festival. Tsingtao keeps me cool and refreshes me. I always feel great about it. I am currently on vacation and I enjoy this beer festival. I love the people. I love Liberia and I love Tsingtao,” Crow said.

The festival carried into the wee hours of Dec 23, with revelers dancing to the music of local and international acts that traveled from different parts of the world to perform, to the delight of the audience.

John Watakambai, a beer enthusiast, said initiatives like the beer festival will boost revenue for the country and pave the way for more programs to flourish.

“It is a pleasure to be here. This is my first time attending a festival like this. These are the things that we try to encourage in our African brothers in the diaspora; to seek opportunities and bring them back to Africa,” Watakambai said.