On a recent Sunday, Li Mingchun had dinner with two of his friends, and one of them bought him two bottles of milk tea because "nothing is more compatible with a nice meal than sweet milk tea".

Li drank them both, followed by a Coca-Cola.

"It is common for young people to buy each other milk tea. For me, the more, the merrier," the 28-year-old said.

Li drinks four to six cups of milk tea every week because he prefers sweet drinks and does not like water.

He buys and drinks a cup of milk tea whenever he sees one of the popular brands, he said. "It is especially satisfying to drink iced milk tea after working out, and drinking sweet milk tea with a loved one brings double the amount of joy."

Li doesn't think about the negative aspects of the sweet drink, although he is aware of the health impacts of consuming too much sugar.

"I only think about the happiness it brings. If I want to burn off the calories, I just work out every day," he said.