China's famous Chunghwa cigarette brand has appeared on bottles of premium cognac for the first time as Shanghai Tobacco seeks to build its presence overseas.
Chunghwa XO cognac is now available in duty-free shops at Singapore's Changi airport. Ot is marketed by a three-way joint venture between Chunghwa, cognac house Camus and duty-free giant DFS.
Chunghwa cigarettes, at up to $45 for a pack of 20, were famously smoked by China's great communist leaders and epitomise status.
The new XO cognac is pitched higher than regular XOs, at S$165 ($788) for a 70cl bottle. The imposing red-and-gold box resembles a giant Chunghwa cigarette pack.
Aimed at mainland travellers - projected to reach 120 million by 2020 - the new cognac also gives state-run Shanghai Tobacco a new avenue to promote its brand overseas while skirting international tobacco advertising bans.
'The new XO is a very good way to promote the brand image of Chunghwa cigarettes because of limits on tobacco promotion,' said Tang Jing, office director and manager of Shanghai Tobacco's import and export division. 'We think the advertising and marketing of the XO will help the cigarettes too.'