Rooted in the River, Renewed with the Times: Insights from the 2026 Chishui River Forum
Oct 24, 2026
Zunyi, China, October 24, 2026 -- On October 16–18, the 2026 Chishui River Forum, jointly initiated by the Brand Work Office of Xinhua News Agency, China Economic Information Service, and China Moutai, was held in Maotai Town, Guizhou Province. The Forum brought together representatives of international liquor companies and organizations to draw on Eastern wisdom in terroir-based brewing and explore new pathways for industrial development that promote harmony between humanity and nature and foster mutual flourishing.
The 2026 Chishui River Forum
Harmonizing Heaven and Earth: The River Valley's Terroir Anchors the Roots of Brewing Civilization
Ao Hong, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director-General of the Guizhou Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, said in his opening remarks that “Moutai cannot be produced anywhere else but Maotai Town.” The natural endowments of the Chishui River Valley provide the essential foundation for the sauce-aroma baijiu industry. Guizhou is both the birthplace and principal production region of sauce-aroma baijiu, as well as a key hub and main front for developing industrial clusters rooted in historical traditions.
Chen Hua, Chairman of China Moutai Group, noted that the evolution of the world's renowned liquor brands is not only a history of production regions, but also a cultural history of craftsmanship passed down through generations in distinctive local environments. Production regions are the ecological foundation, the source of quality and the cultural roots of the liquor industry. Protecting regional ecosystems and preserving brewing traditions are shared responsibilities of liquor producers worldwide.
Cultural heritage provides the spiritual foundation for the liquor industry to achieve steady, long-term development. Li Xiaojie, former Vice Minister of Culture and former Director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, called for bringing intangible cultural heritage brewing techniques to life, exploring the deeper significance of liquor-related cultural heritage, and fostering a vibrant ecosystem of local customs and cultural traditions. These efforts, he said, would enable cultural heritage to support the industry's sustainable development through living transmission.
From traces of ancient alcoholic beverages at the Jiahu archaeological site to historic baijiu workshops and preserved fermentation pits across China, the country's brewing traditions span thousands of years. They offer a rich heritage awaiting innovative transformation and more dynamic forms of transmission.
Advancing with the Times: Building Industry-Wide Consensus amid Market Adjustments
China's baijiu industry is currently undergoing a profound adjustment. Evolving consumer demand, inventory restructuring and changes in distribution channels have become shared challenges across the sector.
The World Famous Liquor Brands Sustainability Index Report (2026), released during the Forum, establishes an evaluation framework based on three dimensions: Quality, Momentum and Visibility. Six brands, including Moutai, were classified as “Leading” brands in the assessment.
During the Forum, the Chishui River Valley: China's Sauce-Aroma Baijiu Regional Brand Think Tank was officially launched. The Moutai Strategic Research Institute will collaborate with China Economic Information Service on research into the global liquor industry.
The China Brands Go Global initiative and the Global Liquor Industry Sustainable Development Partnership Program were also launched. Moutai invited 16 domestic and international liquor companies to build consensus around six priorities: cultural heritage, green development, technological innovation, corporate responsibility, intergenerational vitality and global collaboration. The initiative aims to foster a global community with a shared future for the liquor industry.
As Chen Hua put it, “We must turn consensus into mechanisms, initiatives into projects, and visions into practice.”
Breaking New Ground through Multiple Perspectives: Three Parallel Forums Address the Industry's Defining Challenges
Alongside the main forum, three parallel forums examined how the traditional liquor industry can navigate the future from three perspectives: the mutual enrichment of civilizations, digital and intelligent manufacturing, and consumption trends among younger generations.
The parallel forum “The Language of the World, the Taste of China” focused on cultural confidence and global dialogue, exploring how Chinese liquor culture can communicate with the world while drawing on its distinctive heritage.
“Digital Aroma Discovery, Intelligent Brewing for the Future” examined how digital technologies are reshaping brewing processes and transforming the underlying logic of production.
“A World in Every Glass, New Voices from Drinkers” moved outdoors to a lawn setting, directly addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by generational change in consumer preferences.
“Harmonizing Heaven and Earth” represents the commitment to respecting the land, water and rhythms of nature while preserving the industry's roots. “Advancing with the Times” embodies the courage to embrace change and pursue innovation.
Starting from the Chishui River Valley, the 2026 Chishui River Forum is establishing a new point of connection for the global liquor industry, where tradition meets modernity and Eastern and Western perspectives engage in dialogue. Through industrial insights and practical solutions rooted in China's experience, the Forum aims to contribute to the high-quality development of the global liquor industry.
Contact Info:
Name: Daisy
Email: Send Email
Organization: China Economic Information Service (CEIS)
Website: https://www.ceis.cn/en/index.html
Release ID: 89207240
In case of identifying any errors, concerns, or inconsistencies within the content shared in this press release that necessitate action or if you require assistance with a press release takedown, we strongly urge you to notify us promptly by contacting [email protected] (it is important to note that this email is the authorized channel for such matters, sending multiple emails to multiple addresses does not necessarily help expedite your request). Our expert team is committed to addressing your concerns within 8 hours by taking necessary actions diligently to rectify any identified issues or supporting you with the removal process. Delivering accurate and reliable information remains our top priority.
More News
4 pilots killed in mid-air collision of Philippine military planes
Two Philippine Air Force aircraft crashed during a training flight at an air base south of the capital Manila, killing four pilots, the military said on Saturday. The aviation accident on Friday involved two SF-260 aircraft at the Fernando Air Base in Batangas province, the Philippine Air Force said in a statement. “Both aircraft went down within the base perimeter, with no other casualties reported,” Philippine Air Force spokesman Colonel Alvin Capinguian said in a statement. An...
Kim Jong-un urges North Korean military to become ‘strongest armed forces in the world’
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un urged his military to train to become the strongest in the world at a two-day meeting of company commanders in Pyongyang, state media said on Saturday. Kim’s call for what he dubbed a “Korean-style military revolution” came the same week Seoul’s military proposed talks to clarify the border after an explosion inside the heavily fortified demilitarised zone (DMZ) further strained inter-Korean ties. Seoul and Pyongyang remain technically at war as the 1950-53 Korean...
How Defiant Youth Are Testing India’s Idea of Democracy
Four takeaways from India’s protest movement, at a moment when democracies around the world are under pressure.
Overseas Filipinos feel heartache over missing parcels for loved ones, demand answers
At this time of year, Fatima Ramos would normally be preparing her balikbayan boxes. Overseas Filipinos typically fill these boxes with gifts, clothes, food and household items to send to their loved ones back home in the Philippines for Christmas. Ramos has previously sent the tax-exempt parcels to her family and Philippine charity organisations from Abu Dhabi, where she is a domestic worker. Now back in the Philippines, Ramos is seeking answers about the parcels she sent last year, some of...
Revised law to maintain Japan’s imperial family size takes effect
A revised Imperial House Law took effect on Saturday to address Japan’s shrinking imperial family while retaining the traditional male-only succession system despite public support for female emperors. The legislation, enacted in July in the first major revision of the 1947 law, allows the imperial family to adopt males aged 15 or older from 11 former imperial branch families who are descended from emperors through the male line. The revised law also allows female members to retain their...
French cooking schools fuel fine-dining dreams of India’s young chefs
Fiercely proud of its culinary traditions, India is increasingly open to foreign influences, with French cooking schools attracting students eager to make their mark on the country’s growing fine-dining sector. “Ten or 15 years ago, there were far fewer young people dreaming of becoming chefs,” said Aabhas Jain, director of bakery and pastry training at Ecole Ducasse, a French culinary school also operating in India. “But with the rise of social media … today’s students have greater ambitions in...
Danger, death and devotion: Japan’s festivals face crisis after fatal accidents
Japan’s centuries-old festivals are facing renewed scrutiny after a series of fatal accidents in recent weeks, raising questions over how communities can preserve their cultural traditions without putting lives at risk. Three people have been killed and more than a dozen injured in accidents at autumn festivals across the country in recent weeks. Meanwhile, organisers of another major festival, where two men died in February, have cancelled next year’s event, citing public safety concerns. The...
China’s AI compute surge heavily reliant on US chips, offshore cloud access: report
China’s access to artificial intelligence computing power will double next year, but US-designed chips will account for about 65 per cent of that capacity, an indication of its continued reliance on foreign hardware, according to new research. Total compute available to Chinese entities was expected to expand in 2027 from about 4.6 million to 8.8 million “H100-equivalents” – a metric benchmarked against Nvidia’s data-centre graphics processing units, according to a report by the Washington-based...
Big dreams, growing pains in Indonesia: Prabowo’s turbulent 2 years in power
When 35-year-old Bekasi resident Ika Kartika voted for Prabowo Subianto in Indonesia’s 2024 presidential election, she hoped the former general would restore a “Suharto-like” era of stability, when everyday essentials were affordable and life felt more predictable. Growing up, she had often heard her parents reminisce about the “good old days” under the late strongman, whose rule had brought a sense of order to their lives. Two years into his presidency, however, rising food prices have left Ika...
Why raising Asia’s fertility rate starts with giving people time to date
In late September, Singapore’s Reddit community erupted over the government’s new dating platform, FirstDate. Curious to get an insider’s perspective, I visited the site, connected to my Singpass account and watched as my name, age and marital status auto-populated the fields on the page. I entered my Gmail address and hit submit. The email field turned red: “Please sign up with your official work email. Personal email addresses will not be accepted.” I resubmitted the form with my work email,...
Taiwan Shuts Down as Typhoon Champi Hits
The storm has caused at least one death and dozens of injuries, officials said. Schools have closed on the island and hundreds of flights have been canceled.
South Korea’s Ruling Democratic Party Is Tumbling in the Polls
Its in-house gaffes and disputes are largely to blame for the DP's plummeting approval ratings.
YOUR NEWS, OUR NETWORK.
Do you have Great News you want to tell the world?
Be it updates about your business or your community, you can make sure that it’s heard by submitting your story to our network reaching hundreds of news sites across 6 verticals.