The 11th International Conference on Grapevine Breeding and Genetics opens on Tuesday, July 29 in Yanqing County, northwest Beijing. (Source: CRI.cn)

The 11th International Conference on Grapevine Breeding and Genetics, also known as "Yanqing International Grape Conference", opened in Beijing's Yanqing County on Tuesday.

The conference will run there from July 29 to August 2, 2014.

The quadrennial conference, known as the "Olympic Games of the international grape industry," is the most influential platform for academic exchanges and cooperation among grape breeders, geneticists, researchers and businesses from across the world.

It is the first time the conference will be held in Asia since it was launched in 1973 in Germany.

The theme for the conference is "Up to the Great Wall, back to nature".

More than 350 experts from 34 countries participated in the event. Apart from academic activities, participants will be offered opportunities to taste quality grapes and wines, as well as touring the county - home to the Badaling Section of the Great Wall.

Yanqing, located in northwest Beijing, is one of the major areas for producing quality grapes in the country.