Key Points
- CTIHK secures global rights to four major Chinese cigar brands — Great Wall, Huanghelou, Taishan, and Wangguan — unifying China’s cigar exports under one platform for the first time.
- China Tobacco accelerates cigar globalization, positioning “Chinese cigars” as a new global category alongside Cuban and non-Cuban cigars.
- Industry rumors hint at a fifth brand, Liqun, potentially joining the cigar lineup, signaling broader ambitions in China’s premium tobacco portfolio.
2Firsts, November 11, 2025, Shenzhen — China Tobacco is accelerating its push into the global cigar market. Since mid-2025, China Tobacco International (HK) Co. Ltd. (CTIHK) — the group’s only overseas-listed arm — has signed exclusive global distribution agreements (excluding the Chinese mainland) with Sichuan, Hubei, Shandong, and Anhui tobacco companies, covering four of China’s leading cigar brands: Great Wall, Huanghelou, Taishan, and Wangguan. The moves mark a new phase in the internationalization of Chinese cigars.
Four Major Brands Go Global Under One Exporter
On July 23, CTIHK signed an exclusive global distribution agreement for Great Wall cigars with Sichuan Tobacco. Great Wall, one of China’s best-known cigar brands, accounted for more than 50% of the domestic handmade cigar market in the first half of 2025 and nearly 70% in the premium segment. The deal builds on existing international partnerships and further deepens the companies’ collaboration in overseas markets.
On September 2, CTIHK formalized a similar agreement with Hubei Tobacco for the Huanghelou brand, known for its blend of Eastern craftsmanship and cultural heritage. Two days later, on September 4, CTIHK partnered with Shandong Tobacco to distribute Taishan cigars globally — a brand with over a century of history rooted in traditional Chinese cigar culture.
Finally, on November 6, CTIHK signed an agreement with Anhui Tobacco for the Wangguan brand, completing the portfolio. Together, the four partnerships consolidate China Tobacco’s cigar exports under a single international platform managed by CTIHK.
CTIHK as China Tobacco’s Global Platform
Incorporated in 2004 and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2019, CTIHK is the only overseas-listed entity under China National Tobacco Corporation (CNTC). It serves as the group’s primary commercial and capital platform for international business. The company’s operations span new tobacco products, cigarettes, cigars, and tobacco leaves, with markets in more than 50 countries and regions.
CTIHK also owns China Brasil Tabacos Exportadora S.A. (CBT), a major tobacco leaf exporter sourcing over 60,000 tons of raw leaves annually from more than 20,000 contracted farmers, reinforcing its role in the global supply chain.
Analysts say consolidating the overseas distribution of China’s four major cigar brands under CTIHK represents a shift from fragmented exports to a unified strategy, creating a stronger foundation for building a cohesive global identity for “Chinese cigars.”
Shaping a Distinct “Chinese Cigar” Identity
“CTIHK’s role as the exclusive overseas distributor for the four major brands marks a milestone in the globalization of Chinese cigars,” said Alan Zhao, Co-Founder and CEO of 2Firsts. “Previously, each brand developed separately. Now, they can move forward together under a unified banner — ‘Chinese cigars.’”
Zhao, who has visited cigar markets across Europe and the Middle East, noted that international consumers and retailers often move from unfamiliarity to curiosity and eventual appreciation of Chinese cigars. “Instead of expecting consumers to remember four different brand names, we should first help them recognize ‘Chinese cigars.’ Building this national category identity is the first step toward global success,” he said.
He added that a unified export framework under CTIHK would strengthen brand recognition and support differentiation across markets. “By combining the four major brands, we’re creating one collective force — first to introduce ‘Chinese cigars’ to the world, then to let each brand flourish in its own way,” Zhao said.
Industry Rumors Point to a Potential Fifth Brand
At the same time, industry rumors suggest that Liqun, another major brand under China National Tobacco Corporation, may be preparing to launch its own cigar line. Reports from Chinese industry media claim that related companies have begun seeking packaging design prototypes for a new cigar product, indicating the project could be underway.
The company has not officially confirmed the information. If the speculation proves accurate, Liqun would become China’s fifth cigar brand—joining Great Wall, Huanghelou, Taishan, and Wangguan—and further expand the country’s footprint in the premium cigar segment.
Zhao said that with CTIHK’s unified export framework now in place and potential new brands on the horizon, Chinese cigars are moving from “domestic beginnings” toward “global brand building.”
“I believe Chinese cigars will soon stand alongside Cuban and non-Cuban cigars as the world’s third major cigar category,” Zhao said.
Cover Image： China Tobacco International (HK) participates in TFWA 2024.
