Ties between South Africa and China have been further strengthened with the launch on Friday of a promotion drive, the Moutai South Africa Banquet.

China's liquor giant, China Kweichow Moutai Distillery (Group), launched its Belt and Road bouquet at the Cape Town International Convention Center - an initiative widely welcomed by businesses and the local government.

Themed Meeting in Africa through the Unique Aroma - China Kweichow Moutai, The Belt and Road Branding Initiatives in South Africa, the launch aimed at cementing the relationship between the two BRICS nations.

Various spheres of government, business, culture, and distribution were invited to the event.

Among those in attendance at the launch were Vice Mayor Ian Neilson and Yaw Peprah, chief business officer at Wesgro, the official tourism, trade and investment promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape.

The launch was also an acknowledgement of the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping as a global development initiative.

A 60-strong Kweichow Moutai Group delegation arrived in Cape Town on Nov 15 to investigate the trading environment in South Africa, find business opportunities and introduce South Africans to the Moutai brand.

The delegation participated in a wine country tour and met with potential distributors.

Chinese State-owned Kweichow Moutai Co produces Moutai - a Chinese white spirit distilled from fermented sorghum.

The product won major global honors including gold medals at the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco and the Paris International Exposition in 1985 and 1986, as well as 14 other international awards.

Members of the delegation expressed their excitement at visiting the vineyards and tasting South Africa's world class wines.

"We are visiting South Africa to secure future business and seek opportunities with local companies," said Kweichow Moutai Director and General Manager Li Baofang.

Li added that the fact the company brought such a large delegation indicated its level of purpose and intent to understand the local market and find companies to work with.

The Consul General of China in Cape Town Kang Yong said Moutai is not only a liquid, and not only a material product.

"It's also something of spirit. Moutai is already exported to North America and European countries, however, very little is exported to the African continent," Kang said.

"I am confident that Moutai will gain success in this strategy," he added.

Addressing the delegation, South African Mining Association Director Thabo Shogole said South Africa was a gateway into the continent.

"We have one of the best banking environments and auto industries. We would like partnerships that are mutually beneficial to everyone," Shogole said.

He said that one perception was that China wanted to "colonize" Africa, while Africa was colonized before, which should not be the way people looked to China.

"Moutai will disprove those myths as there will be mutually beneficial relationships between Africa, South Africa and China," he said.

"A brand of this magnitude will benefit the people of South Africa."

Shogole welcomed the initiative, saying it will strengthen the already existing relations between South Africa and China.

Speaking on the sidelines of the launch, Wesgro's Yaw Peprah said, "As an agency, our mandate is to promote tourism and trade, and to bring exports and investment into the Western Cape."

He said Moutai was one of the biggest companies in China, with a great brand.

"If their aim is to come and set up a distribution here, or even if it's a manufacturing spread out into the rest of the continent or the rest of the region, we welcome it," he added.

"It seems like a good company."

(China Daily 11/22/2017 page12)