It is jointly sponsored by the China Federation of Light Industries and the provincial government of Guizhou.

The province has its national brand of distilled spirit Maotai, as famous as France's brandy, Britain's whisky and Russia's vodka.

During the festival, the four international distilled spirits' producers will hold an international spirit forum to discuss closer exchanges and cooperation between China and other world famous spirits producers.

The festival has also attracted other domestic and foreign liquor producers, such the United States, Denmark, Italy and Japan.

(Xinhua News Agency August 19, 2002)