China’s Hard Liquor Remains a Hard Sell Overseas

Baijiu-makers ramping up efforts to expand their customer base outside of China are facing a tough sell among drinkers of non-Chinese descent, who prefer Western tipples such as gin and whiskey, with global shipments of the fiery grain-based liquor that is so ubiquitous at business banquets and weddings slipping last year.

In 2023, China’s baijiu exports slid 5.5% year-on-year to 15,000 kiloliters (4 million gallons), which accounted for only 0.3% of the total baijiu output that year, data from the General Administration of Customs and the National Bureau of Statistics showed.