Wine consumption is increasing significantly in China, according to the China Vintage Industry Association.

Chinese people consumed 390 million liters of wine in 2001, with per capita consumption reaching 0.27 liters, the association said.

Meanwhile, wine output rose by 30 percent between 1994 and 2000. Some 300,000 tons was produced in 2001, a rise of 19 percent on a yearly basis.

The country also imports about 50,000 tons of wine annually.

Although wine production dates back more than 2,000 years, wine consumption in the past was very low. Influenced by tradition and customs, Chinese people greatly prefer distilled wine and millet wine.

But these days more people are drinking wine, a result of rapid economic development, marked improvement in living standards and awareness of health needs, said Geng Zhaolin, a CVIA senior executive.

Yantai in Shandong Province is the only Chinese wine city named by the Office International De La Vigne et du Vin.

The country has about 450 wineries and 10 of them are capable of producing more than 10,000 tons each annually. Annual wine output is expected to reach 500,000 tons by 2005.

( eastday.com September 17, 2002)