China's tea with pronounced difference (4)
I believe the answer is:
mate
'china's' is the definition.
(china plate is Cockney rhyming slang for mate)
'tea with pronounced difference' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
an anagram of 'tea' is 'ate' which is within the answer.
A single letter 'm' remains which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This may be the basis of clue (or it may be nonsense).
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for mate that I've seen before include "Pal, chum" , "Chess finale" , "Team (anag.)" , "Fellow member, partner" , "Better half" .)