Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1547352
30 tobaccoasia Issue 6, 2026 November / December By Allen Liao At InterTabac 2026 in Dortmund, the format of China's official tobacco presence changed in a way worth noting. For the fourth consecutive year, China Tobacco International (HK) Company Limited (CTIHK) coordinated the presentation of Chinese tobacco products at the show. This year, for the first time, it used two separate stands, Chinese cigars and leaf tobacco in Hall 4 at stand 4.A28, and novel tobacco products in Hall 5 at stand 5.A28. A larger exhibition footprint does not in itself amount to a business transformation. Yet the two-stand format, viewed alongside recent distribution agreements and cross-border supply arrangements, points to a more coordinated approach to overseas markets. A broader line-up on the show floor The cigar stand brought together four major Chinese brands: Great Wall, Huanghelou (Yellow Crane Tower), Mount Tai (Taishan), and Wangguan. CTIHK said the display included more than 65 cigar products, as well as 26 grades of leaf from three major tobacco-growing regions in China and one in Brazil. The four cigar brands had not entered a single overseas arrangement at the same time. Their respective exclusive distribution or agency agreements for markets outside mainland China were signed progressively between July and November 2025. After the final Wangguan agree- ment was signed in November, CTIHK said it had "initially completed" the establishment of a global sales platform for Chinese cigars. InterTabac also delivered an international accolade. On September 15, VegaFina & Great Wall Fusion Edition from China won Best Cigar Other Countries 2026 at the Cigar Trophy awards. The awards use a consumer nomination and voting process, and the result gave the collaboration useful international visibility. From Products to Platform: China's Tobacco Industry Builds Its Overseas Presence Steady visitor traffic at the China NGP pavilion, InterTabac 2026. "A larger exhibition footprint does not in itself amount to a business transformation."