Trademark recognition certificate of Yantai-produced wine issued by the national Trademark Office of the State Administration for Industry & Commerce in early 2018. [Photo/ql1d.com]

Yantai wine region in East China's Shandong province has gained trademark protection from the national Trademark Office of the State Administration for Industry & Commerce, according to the China Yantai Vine and Wine Office.

The new trademark will cover 12 districts and county-level cities under Yantai's governance — Zhifu district, Laishan district, Fushan district, Muping district, New Development district, Penglai city, Longkou city, Qixia city, Haiyang city, Zhaoyuan city, Laizhou city, and Laiyang city.

The trademark application process was initiated by the China Yantai Vine and Wine Office in 2016, and was approved by the national trademark office in 2018. "This is a great breakthrough and shows the strong support for building Yantai wine brand," an industrial expert said. "The move will further regulate the wine industry in Yantai, expand the influence and appeal of Yantai-produced wine at home and abroad, according to the expert.

Lying on a latitude of 37 degrees, Yantai is an ideal wine production area for its coastline's ideal sand, sun and sea. Yantai-produced wine has been accounting for half of the national wine market since 2014, according to a news report published on ql1d.com.

The city is the birthplace of China's first wine estate Changyu Pioneer Wine Co, which was founded by diplomat Zhang Bishi in 1892. Changyu is also one of the world's largest wine producers. The international wine town based in Yantai can fill up to 25,000 bottles of wine per hour, thanks to its world-level imported automatic production lines.