Sponsored by the Chinese Rice Wine Society, the 2012 China First Dry Rice Wine Development Forum was held last week in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province.

Drawing more than 500 participants, including all the leading officials of the Chinese Rice Wine Society and Institute of Chinese Rice Wine, experts from the rice wine sector and drink distributors, the forum discussed the development trends of China's 5,000-year-old rice wine culture and dry rice wine.

It also announced the establishment of the Dry Rice Wine Institute. The institute will study rice wine brewing technology, spread the influence and market share of dry rice wine in China and bring it to the international market, said Mao Zhaoxian, president of the Chinese Rice Wine Society.