Former Hong Kong Leader Calls for Chinese Wine Only for National Day Celebrations

Former Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has called for all official and private events during National Day celebrations to exclusively serve Chinese wine, emphasizing that not doing so would be “unacceptable and inexplicable.”

Leung, who is also Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), made the appeal on social media on August 18, urging that unless no alcohol is consumed, all celebrations for the October 1 holiday should feature domestically produced Chinese wine. He noted the improved quality and diverse price range of domestic wines, insisting that drinking imported wines during National Day is unjustifiable.

Leung’s comments followed the recent birth of panda twins Ying Ying and Le Le at a local zoo. On August 19, Leung suggested mainland wineries produce wine labeled with images of the panda parents from Hong Kong. Responding to criticism from a media colunmist writing in The Standard who argued that the move “could send a mixed signal to overseas business people that they are not welcome.” Leung questioned whether the critic had ever attended a National Day event hosted by any other wine producing countries.

In the U.S., American wine wasn’t served at a state dinner until the 1960s. Food writer Michael Pollan summed up the reason bluntly: “Because most of it sucked!” However, as American wines grew more sophisticated—especially following the watershed Judgement of Paris in 1976—they became a staple at state dinners and celebrations.

Leung served as Hong Kong’s fourth Chief Executive and has been an active promoter of Chinese wine since stepping down, continuing his advocacy as Vice Chairman of the national advisory body. In 2019, during a visit to Ningxia to foster cooperation between Hong Kong and the region, Leung urged Chinese citizens to drink domestically produced wine. Last year, at an event celebrating the third anniversary of the Hong Kong Coalition, Leung encouraged the Hong Kong government and patriotic organizations to choose Chinese wine for official events. The event featured wines from a Ningxia winery.

Chinese Boutique Wines Gain Traction in Hong Kong

China has a long history of winemaking, with Yantai’s Changyu Winery established in 1892 and the Great Wall brand launched in 1983. Over the past decade, several boutique wineries have emerged across China, particularly in regions like Ningxia, Xinjiang, Yantai, and Yunnan, with some gaining international recognition.

As a major hub for wine trade in Asia, Hong Kong plays a crucial role in the global expansion of Chinese wine. In April, Vino Joy News reported that Cathay Pacific introduced four Chinese boutique wines for first-class and business-class passengers. Leung expressed his delight in an interview with Vino Joy News and recommended a visit to Ningxia’s wineries.

Tiansai Vineyards from Xinjiang is one of the Chinese boutique wineries exporting Hong Kong via importer EMW Fine Wines. A representative from the winery told Vino Joy News that their wines are primarily sold in five-star hotels, with prices ranging between HKD 300 to 500 and repeat orders every two months.

Shandong’s Longting Winery has partnered with Hong Kong’s Black Sheep Restaurant Group and plans to enter the Marriott Hotel this year. Guo Yue, the winery’s marketing director, reported that sales in Hong Kong and Macau have more than tripled this year compared to last.

Ningxia’s Xige Winery also reported significant growth in Hong Kong. Its wines are sold in Hong Kong through Northeast Wines and Spirits. Owner Zhang Yanzhi told Vino Joy News that sales have doubled in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year. The winery has recently partnered with the Shangri-La Hotel group and held a successful tasting event hosted by China Merchants Group.

Despite these gains, Chinese boutique wines are still not mainstream in Hong Kong, where consumers predominantly choose European and American wines. Max Wong of the Hong Kong Wine Chamber of Commerce noted that Chinese wine is still relatively new and higher priced, making it difficult to establish a stable consumer base.

This is reflected in import data. From January to June 2024, Hong Kong imported HKD 3.019 million worth of wine from mainland China, placing it 17th among wine import sources.

Guo Yue acknowledged that Longting Winery’s rapid growth in Hong Kong and Macau is due to its recent market entry. “It will take tremendous effort for Chinese fine wines to become mainstream in Hong Kong,” she said.

However, Zhang Yanzhi of Xige remains optimistic. “Chinese wine is in its early stages in Hong Kong,” he said. “There’s no urgent need to expand the market here. The priority is to perfect our products and improve their value. If we can do that, opportunities will arise in any market.”