Like any other tea production countries, there is a mix of practices in China and people who attempt to get away with crimes. China is a country with by-far the largest amount of people in it so proportionally the crimes in there can catch one’s eyes.
In terms of diversity in practice, tea production in China is a show case of almost anything you can think of. The most systematic type of factory style production using really advanced machines and management, rules-abiding and localized organic farming certified by EU, small traditional practices run by families, and unethical enterprises that want only margins and turnover. I have seen them all. I do not have figures as to how predominant which practice is. What you get in your store really is dependent on its sources. If you study the issue deeply, this actually applies to all materials we consume nowadays, unless we produce our own from scratch.
However, normal exports are mostly lab tested to various standards dependent on the destination. So if the customs in your country do the job, the tea you buy in there should be as safe as any other grocery items.
