The provincial government of Guangdong Province, one of the economic powerhouses in south China, will host an international festival on red wine in Guangzhou, the provincial capital, from Dec.8-11.

Organizers claim that at least 100 companies and grape growing regions will send delegations to the festival, which will be part of "the Guangdong international tourism culture festival for the year of 2005".

Apart from serving as a window for showcasing the galaxy of world famous red wine brands, the festival will provide a platform for high-level exchange activities featuring red wine culture.

Though there has been a deep-rooted tradition for consumption of clear spirits or hard liquor in China, the consumption of wine, especially red varieties, has become a fad across the country in recent years.

Guangdong, the place where the pricey Cantonese cuisine, one of the eight major Chinese food menus, originated, has been turned into one of the emerging markets in China that no wine makers dare to forsake.

(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2005)