GUIYANG - China's top alcohol brand Kweichow Moutai signed Saturday a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a visiting San Francisco government delegation in a bid to promote bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, culture and tourism.

Under the MoU, Moutai will open an office in San Francisco to increase its sales in the city and further expand its market share in the United States, said Yuan Renguo, chairman of Kweichow Maotai Group.

Edwin M. Lee, mayor of San Francisco, said the MoU will further promote bilateral cultural exchange between future generations of China and the United States.

In 1915, Maotai received its first gold medal at the Panama Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco.

Maotai held an event on November 12, 2015 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of winning the award. At the celebration, Lee announced the day would be marked as San Francisco Moutai Day.

Distilled in the town of Maotai in Southwest China's Guizhou province, Moutai is considered the country's national liquor and often served on official occasions and at state banquets.