The Fourth China (Ningxia) International Wine Culture and Tourism Expo kicked off on Friday in Yinchuan, the capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, drawing wine experts, enthusiasts and enterprises from both home and abroad.

Ningxia, renowned for its unique grape-growing conditions, has become China's largest wine-producing region and is gaining prominence on the global stage.

Over the past decade, the booming local wine industry has resulted in 380,000 mu of barren land being transformed into a lush oasis, creating a 195-km-long green belt of grapevines.

At the expo's opening ceremony, John Barker, director general of the International Organization of Vine and Wine, highlighted how well Ningxia performs in international wine competitions and exhibitions, underscoring its emerging reputation as a world-class wine region.

John Barker says the eastern foot of the Helan Mountains in Ningxia is an important part of China's wine Renaissance. "Although the wine region at the eastern foot of Helan Mountain in Ningxia has not risen long, its development momentum is very amazing and has won widespread attention and praise from the international community." At numerous international wine competitions and exhibitions, Ningxia wines have won many awards for their exceptional quality, further consolidating the position of the eastern foot of Helan Mountain as a world-class wine region."

"This is my first time in Ningxia, where the soil and climate are suitable for the growth of wine grapes, and the unique natural conditions create a unique style of Ningxia wine." Barker said he noticed the local wine community's discussion of "terroir", "terroir" is a technical but poetic concept, a combination of climate, land, grapes and people. Colleagues in the Ningxia wine industry are committed to understanding the unique 'terroir' of the region and producing 'wines with unique Chinese characteristics'."

Barke said that during his visit to Ning, he learned about the sustainable development measures taken by the local wine industry, such as large-scale greening, planting, and technological transformation. "The development of the wine industry also provides local jobs and boosts the economy." 'said John Barker.

Barker suggested that Ningxia's wine region at the eastern foot of Helan Mountain should continue to strengthen its research and insight into consumers and launch products that are more in line with consumer preferences. At the same time, we should also pay attention to marketing innovation, improve brand awareness, and further enhance consumers' recognition of Ningxia wine.