The first installment of the sixth German Wine Festival took place on Sept 19 and 20. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The first installment of the sixth German Wine Festival was held in Qingdao, Shandong province over the weekend as a platform to promote international trade between enterprises from different countries.

Clemens von Goetze, Germany's ambassador to China, and other guests opened the first bottles of wine for the event.

The second installment of the even it planned for Sept 25 to 27.

Xu Hongwei, a senior official from the Qingdao culture and tourism bureau, said the event not only provided an opportunity for local residents to learn about German culture but also made the city better known to friends all over the world.

"It was both a cultural exchange and a hot spot for leisure tourism," Xu said.

Clemens von Goetze, Germany's ambassador to China, and other guests opened the first bottles of wine for the sixth German Wine Festival. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Fritz Emrich, founder of the festival, said he had thought the event would be canceled because of the nationwide lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic six months ago.

Thanks to the effective prevention and control measures and the Chinese people's patience, China has become the safest country in the world, said Emrich, who has lived in China for 30 years.

He attributed the successful opening to support from the Qingdao Sino-German Business Club.

Part of a local government effort, the club was unveiled in November. It aims to provide a new platform to enhance economic and cultural exchanges between two countries.

"As the pandemic is affecting world economy and many businesses are struggling, the Qingdao Sino-German Business Club has really given the event's organization a big hand," Emrich said.

Guests eat during the sixth German Wine Festival in Qingdao, Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]