Shanghai (September 17, 2010) Governor Schwarzenegger getting the tour from VR China President Tie Zhang in the wine pavilion at the World Expo in Shanghai. The Governor had taken an extended tour of the middle kingdom seeing the vibrancy which is modern China.
The Wine Pavilion had many countries participating but is was the California portion that drew the Governor and we appreciate all the help we can get. California wine is just now gaining interest of the Chinese who for years only looked to France and Australia for their wine imports. California is now starting to make inroads and the future wine market looks very good for California wine in China.
U.S. MOU on Wine Marks Closer Bilateral Ties
Hong Kong — U.S. MOU on Wine Marks Closer Bilateral Ties
San Francisco (May 17, 2010) — Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mrs. Rita Lau, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Wine-related Businesses (MOU) with the visiting Secretary of Commerce of the United States, Gary Locke, in Hong Kong. Secretary Locke is leading the first cabinet-level trade mission to Asia by President Obama's administration with Hong Kong being the first stop. Addressing a luncheon in honor of Secretary Locke, Mrs. Lau said Hong Kong and the United States had maintained healthy and robust bilateral business relations and that Secretary Locke's visit would encourage both communities to work towards stronger bilateral relations and explore new areas for collaboration. The signing of the MOU on wine marked an important milestone in closer bilateral ties and business cooperation between the two places, she said. "Today, our relationship with the U.S. takes another major step forward. Riding on this MOU, we will strengthen our joint efforts on promoting wine-related trading, tourism, investment and education. "The MOU also covers a number of special areas. These include promoting wine alongside regional and local cuisine, facilitating the organization of wine auctions in Hong Kong for U.S. wines, and encouraging the provision of quality wine storage facilities in Hong Kong," Mrs. Lau said. Hong Kong Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, USA, Mr. Donald Tong said, "The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office welcomes this MOU which will help further foster joint efforts by the U.S. and Hong Kong to promote U.S. wine in Hong Kong and via Hong Kong into the massive Mainland markets".
In February this year, Hong Kong has reached agreement with the Mainland to provide facilitation measures for wines imported from Hong Kong. They include pre-valuation of wine duty before arrival at the Mainland boundary and expedited customs clearance at Mainland boundary points. Under the measures, registered wine traders may request Mainland Customs to do valuation of wine duty 10 working days before the shipment is exported from Hong Kong to the Mainland. When the shipment arrives at a Mainland boundary point, Mainland Customs will normally complete the procedure within one working day. The measures will be tried out in Shenzhen of the Mainland in the second quarter of 2010. As one of the world's leading wine producers and exporters, the United States is Hong Kong's fourth largest wine importer. Wine imports from the U.S. amounted to US$49 million in 2009-2010, representing a five-fold increase since Hong Kong's duty exemption in early 2008. U.S. auction houses have held regular wine auctions in Hong Kong with record-breaking sales on several occasions. The MOU on wine between Hong Kong and the United States is the eighth cooperative agreement concluded by Hong Kong with wine producing countries/regions, coming after those with France, Bordeaux, Spain, Australia, Italy, Hungary and New Zealand.
SIAL China 2010
SIAL China 2010
Shanghai (May 19-21, 2010) — SIAL China provides Western US Agricultural companies opportunities to enhance their visibility in the Asian market and create new networking contacts. This is the largest retail show attracting 1,057 exhibitors from 50 regions and countries around the world with over 28,000 trade visitors. Many of the US exhibitors in SIAL China 2009 have reported significant gains as a result of the show.
Trade show services will be offered including a market overview, translation of company profile, o ne-on-one meetings with prequalified buyers, and one interpreter per exhibitor for a minimal cost of $250.
Exporting Wines to China Not Easy but Possible
Exporting Wines to China Not Easy but Possible
China Economic Review.com (January 10, 2011) — Kevin Sherwood is the founder and CEO of Van Ruiten Family Winery China, which has been importing wines from California for a few years and is now starting to see some success. The company vineyards in the United States in Lodi - a town near San Francisco and the center of a region that grows more winegrapes than Napa and Sonoma combined - have been growing wine grapes for twenty years and making wine for about ten years.
The wine brokerage, distribution and logistics firm for China operates in Shanghai. There is a corporate sales office and new tasting room and Sherwood has also created Diablo Dragon Wines as an export arm of Van Ruiten Winery. Sherwood said there is far more to trade with China than putting wine in a container and shipping it across the Pacific. You are almost assured it will "just sit and get ruined" on the docks if you haven't met with people and established relationships, he said. "You can't send anything over there you aren't willing to lose," he said. China's mainland has a 48% tariff on imports, making it difficult for wineries to be competitive
Lodine News.com reported that Tie Zhang, president of U.S.-China Business and Culture Association, said in an email that wine is the fastest growing business sector in China and the market for wine has seen double-digit growth in the past decade.
Zhang said Van Ruiten's success in China is due to the personal touch its executives have conducted their business with and how they have been willing to fly overseas and meet with potential partners.
Tie Zhang said, "You have to be here in order to win this market."
