BEIRUT, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese market has opened its doors to receive Lebanon's wine products after great efforts by the Lebanese ministries of agriculture and foreign affairs, said Louis Lahoud, director general of the ministry of agriculture, on Thursday.
"We are about to coordinate with the Chinese embassy in Lebanon to market our Lebanese wine products in China," Lahoud said according to Lebanon's Presidency website.
Lahoud's remarks came during a visit for General Director of the General Organization of Vineyards and Wine Jean-Marie Oran to Baabda palace to meet with President Michel Aoun.
Lahoud emphasized the need to launch advertising campaigns to promote the Lebanese wine in coordination with other ministries, in addition to encouraging Lebanese expats to consume local wine in a bid to protect farmers and help them increase their production.
Meanwhile, Aoun underlined the importance of cooperating with the General Organization of Vineyards and Wine in exchanging expertise.
For his part, Oran said that Lebanon has been an active member in the organization since 1995.
He also gave an overview about the activities of the organization in drafting rules for producing high quality wine in addition to removing obstacles facing the exchange in expertise between member countries.
Lebanon has long been a rich terrain for vineyards. The country's production of wine goes back to more than 5,000 years ago when the Phoenicians were making wine in Lebanon and trading it throughout the Mediterranean and Europe.
