Information Office of Yantai Municipal People's Government
ATHENS, Greece, Nov. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- An event titled "Sacred Flame · Enchanting Yantai" Eastern Wine Night was held in Athens, Greece, on the evening of Nov. 3, local time. Through fine Eastern wines as a medium, the event creates a platform for Sino-Greek civilizational dialogue, fostering deep exchanges between Yantai's wine culture and Greece's ancient winemaking heritage.
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Greece is the cradle of Western civilization and home to some of the world's oldest wine traditions. Yantai, located at a prime latitude for wine grape cultivation, is recognized as one of the world's seven major wine-producing coastal regions and the only "International Vine and Wine City" in Asia. The event brought together the winemaking traditions of the Aegean and the Bohai Sea in a dialogue between two cultures.
Tasia Galani, vice mayor of the Municipality of Chios, delivered an address noting that navigation and trade have long linked the two cities. For the people of both Chios and Yantai, the ocean is far more than a natural landscape; it is integral to their way of life, cultural heritage and economic development. The friendship between the two cities transcends politics, economics and diplomacy, rooted in shared historical memories, cultural traditions and heartfelt bonds between peoples.
In a keynote presentation, Sun Xinghua, executive deputy director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Yantai Municipal Committee and director of the Information Office of Yantai Municipal People's Government, said that Greece's Olympic flame and Yantai's century-old winemaking tradition formed a symbolic link between the two cultures. Yantai is developing its "Wine Coast" brand for international audiences through on-site experiences, multilingual platforms and wine-themed cultural exchanges. The city also hopes to introduce its slogan, "Yantai, Where Wine Meets the World," to more people overseas.
During the event, Sun Yonggang, district mayor of Penglai, delivered an in-depth presentation on the Penglai wine region. More than 1,000 Penglai wines have been recognized with gold medals at prestigious international competitions such as Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, Decanter World Wine Awards and Berlin Wine Trophy, and are exported to more than 20 countries and regions. In 2025, Penglai was named a "Distinctive Coastal Enotourism Destination" by the Global Wine Tourism Organization.
Wu Taibei, representative of Yantai Changyu Pioneer Wine Company Limited, spoke about the company's development from its early beginnings to its expansion into international markets.
The evening culminated in a wine-jar sealing ceremony, during which Sun Xinghua of Yantai and Chios Vice Mayor Tasia Galani poured Changyu wine and Chios mastic liqueur into a clay jar and sealed it with wax as a symbol of friendship. Marking the fifth anniversary of their sister-city ties, the two sides agreed to reopen the jar in 2031, on the 10th anniversary, and share the five-year-old wines. The ceremony offered a symbolic way to celebrate their friendship and look ahead to future exchanges.
Contact for media only: Contact person: Ms. Zhang, Tel: 86-10-63074558