Bubble tea is a tea-based drink that originated in Taiwan in the early 1980s.
It most commonly consists of tea accompanied by chewy tapioca balls.
In the 1990s, bubble tea spread all over East and Southeast Asia with its ever-growing popularity.
In regions like Hong Kong, Mainland China, Japan, Vietnam, and Singapore,
the bubble tea trend expanded rapidly among young people.In Taiwan, bubble tea has become more than a beverage,
but an enduring icon of the culture and food history for the nation.
In 2020, the date April 30 was officially declared as National Bubble Tea Day in Taiwan.
That same year, the image of bubble tea was proposed as an alternative cover design for Taiwan's passport.
According to Al Jazeera, bubble tea has become synonymous with Taiwan and
is an important symbol of Taiwanese identity both domestically and internationally.
Bubble tea is used to represent Taiwan in the context of the Milk Tea Alliance.