文丨酒业家团队（ID：jiuyejia360）
Planning丨Yangguan Editor丨Yunheng Editor丨Yunding
This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, and the two major powers of the East and the West have also launched a series of major diplomatic activities in this year. On May 5, the diplomatic activities between the two countries ushered in a new climax, when the leader paid a state visit to France at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron of the French Republic.
Recently, the "Mutual Learning" column broadcast by CCTV News Channel invited three French guests to talk about the deep friendship behind France's high-level reception and the increasingly close economic and trade cooperation between China and France.
One of them is Chen Xianni from Ningxia Xige Winery, in which she talked about the great prospects of cooperation between China and France in the field of wine, and shared the self-confidence of the eastern foothills of Helan Mountain in Ningxia and the confident rise of Xige Winery to the world.
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China and France have strengthened agricultural exchanges and cooperation
Chinese wines are stepping onto the international stage more confidently
As the two major powers in the world, China and France are also two major agricultural countries, and have close relations in agricultural economic and trade cooperation. The data shows that in the field of agricultural products, France is China's largest source of agricultural imports in the EU. In 2023, China imported 46.95 billion yuan of agricultural products from France, an increase of 50.5% over 2019. In the first quarter of this year, the import value was close to 10 billion yuan. More and more dairy products, pork, wine and other agricultural products have crossed nearly 20,000 miles from French farms to the tables of Chinese people. In terms of the wine industry, French wine has long ranked first in the market share of imported wine in China, and is deeply loved by Chinese consumers.
During the visit, China and France reached a number of joint statements and interdepartmental agreements. Among them, the Administrative Agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People's Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty of the French Republic on Cooperation in Viticulture and Winemaking Industry has attracted great attention from the wine industries of the two countries.
The joint statement on agricultural exchanges and cooperation between China and France noted that the two sides welcome the strengthening of cooperation through the signing of an administrative agreement on cooperation in viticulture and winemaking and the renewal of the protocol on cooperation on geographical indications. The deepening ties between China and France in the field of viticulture and winemaking are also reflected in France's support for China's accession to the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) in 2024.
Xige Winery advocated Yan Zhi to the wine industry, said: the Sino-French wine industry cooperation statement, is a mirror of the two countries' economic and trade and friendly cooperation, not only reflects the desire and attention of French wine producers to China's huge consumer market, but also reflects the increasingly clear self-confidence and international strategy of China's wine industry, China's wine industry is willing to integrate into the international wine order, and French wine and other countries' wines coexist in an international market environment, the Chinese market can accommodate French wine and Chinese wine, French consumers can also opt for Chinese wines. "I think this is the long-term significance of this statement, and it is also the future vision of the Chinese wine industry, which will be more confident to enter the international stage," he said. ”
In fact, through continuous efforts, Chinese wines have made fruitful achievements in expanding the international market in recent years, especially with the blessing of the China-EU Agreement on Geographical Indications, Chinese wines have been continuously recognized in Europe, the "old world of wine". The wine industry learned that in the first quarter of this year, Ningxia exported 28,790 liters of wine with an amount of 3.41 million yuan, an increase of 228.1% and 336.5% year-on-year respectively.
Since the entry into force of the EU-China Agreement on Geographical Indications, people between China and the EU have been able to buy good goods more conveniently. In the "Mutual Learning" column, talking about the topic of the "China-EU Agreement on Geographical Indications", Chen Xianni said excitedly: under the framework of this agreement, not only Bordeaux and other well-known French wine producing regions are included, but also well-known Chinese wine producing areas such as the eastern foothills of Helan Mountain in Ningxia. Under the promotion of this agreement, more European consumers can learn about high-quality Chinese wines, and can spread the story of China's terroir to more European consumers.
The wine industry learned that in April 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron paid a state visit to China, and during his visit to Guangzhou, the wine of Xige Winery appeared at the dinner to entertain Macron. Today, Xige Winery has established a preliminary distribution network in France and other European countries, and has accumulated a good reputation.
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Building a "bridge" between China and France in Ningxia
Chen Xianni reversely exports Chinese wine culture
Under the macro framework, the personal story of Chen Xianni, the global brand ambassador and director of international affairs of Xige Winery, can more vividly interpret the "Sino-French relationship" in the wine field.
With the rapid rise of the eastern foothills of Helan Mountain in Ningxia, where wineries continue to win major awards in international competitions, Ningxia has become an emerging wine region that has attracted the attention of the international wine industry in recent years.
Because of this, Ningxia also continues to attract wine elites from all over the world to visit and investigate, and there is even a number of world-renowned wine masters. However, most of these people are just passers-by, and there are only a handful of people like Chen Xianni who call Ningxia home.
▲ Xige Winery debuted at the 2024 Paris International Wine & Spirits Exhibition (Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2024) in the middle: Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye Pictured on the left: Chen Xianni
As a French Burgundian, along the way, Chen Xianni witnessed the innovative development model of Chinese wine at the other end of her hometown, and witnessed and promoted Xige Winery from 0 to 1.
Chen Xianni speaks fluent Chinese and is a promoter of Xige Winery and even Ningxia wine to the international stage, building a bridge for the world to understand Ningxia wine region.
With the unremitting efforts of Chen Xianni, coupled with the international vision and international quality of Xige Winery, they are trying to let those who have the most voice and authority in the world wine field re-understand Chinese wine, and let the world fall in love with Chinese wine.
Zhang Yanzhi told the winemaker: "Sunny has had a deep impact on Xige Winery, and her heartfelt love, perseverance and perseverance for wine have infected many winery staff and many guests who visit the winery. When the vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference visited Xige in 2019, Sunny's fluent Chinese and typical Western faces left a good impression on him and Hong Kong guests. ”
In the column, when the host asked what she expected for the future development of Sino-French relations, Chen Xianni said: Through the story of wine and the story of Helan Mountain in Ningxia, we can share the Chinese story with more French compatriots, which is a good exchange and mutual learning, and achieve mutual learning, mutual benefit and win-win.
Today, Chen Xianni says that "we are China, we are Ningxia", she said: "I will continue to work hard to spread the culture of Ningxia and Chinese wine to the world." ”
In the exchanges and cooperation between China and France, Xige Winery is a slice, and Chen Xianni is also a slice, through which we can more intuitively feel the great potential of cooperation between the two countries in the field of wine, and can predict the future trend of China's wine industry in the global wine industry.
As a representative of China's boutique wineries, Xige Winery has made outstanding contributions to the exchanges and cooperation between China and France in the field of wine, and will continue to lead Chinese wines to carry out more in-depth and open dialogue with the world wine industry in the future.