Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin is seeking to increase its presence in Hong Kong, China and Taiwan through a brand-building plan over 10 years. The French company, part of the Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) group, opened an office in the territory in July and is attempting to carry out its plans through a marketing campaign involving public relations, event sponsorship and education and training seminars. Philippe Pascal, the company's president, claimed Veuve Clicquot had about 10 per cent of the Hong Kong champagne market with 30,000 bottles having been sold last year. The company sold about 10,000 bottles in China and 2,000 in Taiwan. Mr Pascal said more people throughout the region were drinking wine and champagne was part of that pattern. The company's target market is affluent Chinese in their late 20s and older. Veuve Clicquot was a corporate sponsor at the Beijing Tennis Open and at last week's Marlboro Championship '96. It had also become the house champagne at the Beijing Chang On Club. Mr Pascal said that in marketing champagne brand building through advertising did not work. 'You need that mix of support from the trade [distributors, hotels, clubs and restaurant staff] and through a very intense and sustained sponsorship strategy. 'You have to choose where you want your product to be consumed and the type of crowds and events you want to be associated with,' he said. The company was anticipating about 10 per cent growth in China this year, a market dominated by cognac. He believed the company was either number one or two in the country's champagne industry with a 25 per cent share.