Unlocking Chinese Cities: Huajuhong puts the spotlight on Guangdong's 'Orange City'

Huajuhong, a humble citrus peel from Guangdong Province, has arouse much attention at this year’s "two sessions" when Hua Chunying, China’s vice foreign minister, showed a fondness for it.

The moment has become a source of pride for locals, as the fruit has helped hundreds of thousands of people in Huazhou, a relatively remote area in southern China, improve their livelihoods.

The raw ingredient of Huajuhong comes from the Huazhou Pomelo, a crop closely tied to the region’s unique geography. The soil in Huazhou is rich in the mineral Mengshi, which gives the fruit its well-known properties for relieving coughs and clearing phlegm.

When two dried fruits are gently tapped together, their essential oils are released, producing a distinctive aroma. Beyond its unique flavor profile and appearance, huajuhong is traditionally valued for its medicinal properties, including relieving phlegm and coughs, soothing the throat — and even alleviating hangovers. It was listed under the protection of national geographical indication products in 2006.

By the end of 2025, Huajuhong plantations in Huazhou had expanded to 143,000 mu (about 9,533 hectares). Annual fresh fruit output reached 76,000 tonnes, with 15,200 tonnes processed into dried products. The total output value of the entire industry chain surpassed 12.6 billion yuan, marking a historic milestone.

Today, Huajuhong is popular not only across China but also overseas. Through cross-border e-commerce and overseas Chinese networks, it has been exported to more than 30 countries and regions, including the United States, Japan, and parts of Europe. From a medicinal fragrance recorded in ancient texts to a “star” specialty highlighted at the Two Sessions, Huajuhong has undergone a remarkable transformation. Once known mainly as a traditional remedy, it has evolved into a fashionable throat-soothing snack and a thriving industry.

What began with pomelo trees scattered across the hills of Huazhou has grown into a multi-billion-yuan global business—boosting farmers’ incomes while turning green resources into shared prosperity.