China's winemakers call for probes on EU imports

 BEIJING, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Wine producers have applied¹ to the Ministry² of Commerce (MOC) demanding investigations³ into whether European imports are damaging China's domestic market.

Wang Zuming, head of the wine division of the China Alcoholic⁴ Drinks Association, told Xinhua, that winemakers want the ministry to look into the increasing amount of EU imports and its impact on the domestic industry.

EU wine imports surged to 169,114 kiloliters, in 2011, from 35,944 kiloliters, in 2008, at an annual pace of 67.71 percent. In the past four years, its market share in China increased from 4.94 percent to 14.76 percent, Wang said.

Almost every Chinese winemaker has felt the impact from the EU, he said.

The EU has provided various subsidies⁶ to the wine industry, putting Chinese makers⁵ at a disadvantage, Wang added.

Due to the EU's producing capacity and export potential, Wang argues that this can only have a negative impact on winemakers in China.

The EU is the world's largest wine-producing region with an annual output reaching around 16 million tonnes, or 69 percent of the world's total.

Winemakers from the EU see the Chinese market as having huge potential.

China's wine consumption surged 28.26 percent to 1.55 million kiloliters in 2011, overtaking the United Kingdom to be the fifth largest market, according to data provided by industry. Imported wines accounted for nearly one-third of the market, up from less than 10 percent in 2006.

As foreign wine merchants tap into the Chinese market, local winemakers are starting to feel the pressure. The industry's average gross margin⁷ slipped to 30 percent from around 40 percent, said State-level Wine Appraisal⁸ Judge Sun Fangxun.

1 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

2 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

3 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

4 alcoholic   

adj.（含）酒精的，由酒精引起的；n.酗酒者

参考例句：

• The alcoholic strength of brandy far exceeds that of wine.白兰地的酒精浓度远远超过葡萄酒。
• Alcoholic drinks act as a poison to a child.酒精饮料对小孩犹如毒药。

5 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

8 appraisal   

n.对…作出的评价；评价，鉴定，评估

参考例句：

• What's your appraisal of the situation?你对局势是如何评估的？
• We need to make a proper appraisal of his work.对于他的工作我们需要做出适当的评价。