Mr. Chen Runyun, Vice President
Academy for International Business Officials (AIBO), MOFCOM
March 1, 2021, Beijing
Your Excellency Ambassador Mr. Archil Kalandia,
Dear Colleague Mr. Zhao Chuanyi,Commercial Counselor of Chinese Embassy in Georgia,
Dear Mr. Dong Jianhui,President of China National Research Institute of Food and Fermentation Industries,
My fellow participants from Georgia,
Good morning (Gamarjoba)!
As the representative of sponsor and an old friend of Georgia,I am very delighted to meet you online today.Every one of you looks so sound and well on the screen. It’s my great joyful to see that.
Since the beginning of last year, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed the world. Facing this global public health emergency, China and Georgia have jointly conducted in-depth cooperation to combat the virus for saving the people's life. By now, although our planet is still facing a grave challenge,we are strong confident with good expectations to win successfully the war against this epidemic through the international and bilateral cooperation in prevention, treatment, vaccine etc. Due to the current control measures against the epidemic, we cannot have face-to-face meetings in China, but nothing can stop our efforts from learning and sharing knowledge, technologies and experiences.
With the joint efforts of all parties involved,Seminar on Alcohol Distribution Management and Promotion for Georgiais opening today. On behalf of the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China (MOFCOM) and its Academy for International Business Officials (AIBO), I would like to extend my congratulations on the opening of this seminar and my warmest welcome to all the 30 participants from Georgia!
Dear Ambassador, dear friends,I have served as Commercial Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Georgia from August 2007 to November 2011.It was one of the best memories in my life during four-years staying in Georgia. The Georgian natural scenery, ancient civilization, splendid culture, hospitable people, good wine and the whole country give me deep impression.
As we know, with a long history of 3,000 years, Georgia is considered as the Back Garden of God, an important hub of the ancient Silk Road and the modern Eurasian Corridor. There are indications that Georgia is the birthplace of world wine, and its red wine history can be traced back to about 8000 years ago. The French famous writer Alexandre Dumas once traveled to Georgia and was deeply impressed by Georgia's rich table culture, and then he wrote in his book: "Georgians can sit at the table for a few days to drink, talk, write poetry, enjoy, and a toast must be indispensable". I had experienced many times of the same feeling as Mr. Dumas describe dwhen I was together with my Georgian friends in local restaurants, wine ries or at their home. It was always joyful to follow Tamada's toast-order to speak and to drink on bottom-up for“Gamarjveba”. So, I understand that the wine in Georgia is not only a simple name or type of product, but it embraces the popular life with passion and love for the people, also it shows the progress of technological innovation for the agro-industrial processing. In addition, it is embedded with the rich culture of music, dance, painting for the civilization,and it is amplified the symbol of brave spirit for the nation. I'd like to take this opportunity to express my respectful appreciations to all Georgian wine makers and grape's growers which are represented partly by this seminar's participants.
Dear friends, improving continuously the sustainable development of wine industry is a major goal for Georgia. We agree fully with Georgian government to promote more Georgian wine and other liquors such as Chacha,Cognac,Champagne,Wisky to China where it is a huge market with importing annually more than 600 million liters from foreign countries. Under the framework of Belt and Road Cooperation Initiatives and FTA agreement between China and Georgia, the exportation of Georgian wine and liquors to China has been increased substantially every year, and its total quantity reached to 7 million bottles in 2019. I'm pleased to know that China has become Georgia’s third-largest trading partner for wine business.For all achievements, we shouldn’t forget the unremitting efforts and great contributions made by the China National Research Institute of Food and Fermentation Industries (CNRIFFI), organizer of this seminar, who plays also the role of creation and operation of National Promotion Center for Georgian wine in China since 2013.
As you know, China is one of the largest wine and liquor producers in the world with its traditional and modern brewing technologies. The methods of distribution, circulation, promotion and management in China are quite different from Georgia. To better understand mutually, our two countries need promote more exchanges of professional information in order to strengthen the bilateral cooperation for the business of wine and liquor. This is one of our common key purposes to organize this seminar.
In the following 15 days, Chinese scholars and specialists will share with you the latest experience in the current status and future trends of China’s wine industry, as well as circulation management and promotion of wine in China through online lectures or workshops. Several virtual visits to some famous Chinese liquor enterprises or factories will also be organized. Hopefully, this seminar will bring a rewarding and inspiring experience to all of you.
Dear friends, at the recent World Economic Forum Virtual Event of the Davos Agenda, Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out that one of our major tasks of our times is to boost world economic growth. China will continue to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, to keep the global industrial and supply chains smooth and stable, and enforce high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.
I remember that a Georgian proverb says "the mountains can’t separatethe real friends". China and Georgia are real friends each other. When we stand on top of a mountain, let's walk together to climb to the top of a higher mountain. As a concrete measure, we hope this seminar will bring more trade and investment cooperation opportunities in the field of wine which will bebenefit to the people from both countries.
Dear Ambassador, dear friends,I am really glad to meet you today. Here, I would like to express my sincere thanks to our Georgian partners, my colleagues of the Chinese Embassy in Georgia, and the project team of China National Research Institute of Food and Fermentation Industries (CNRIFFI),thanks for your joint efforts to make this seminar possible! My special thanks going to your Excellency Ambassador Mr. Archil Kalandia for taking time out of your busy schedule to attend this ceremony.
In conclusion, I wish the seminar a complete success! Wish all the seminar participants and guests here happy and healthy! Thank you (Gaumarjos, Didi madloba)!
