Auction house Christie's has appointed a head of wine for China for the first time in the company's history, due to rising interest in the country surrounding fine wines like Chateau Lafite Rothschild.

Simon Tam will be based in Hong Kong and is charged with leading Christie's move into Greater China, alongside a new head of marketing and Shanghai representative as the auction house expands its operations in the Far East, decanter.com reports.

Mr Tam, who this week repeated warnings to consumers to ensure they are taking precautions against the rise of wine fraud in China, is the founder of the Hong Kong Independent Wine Centre.

"These appointments are part of a larger set of initiatives planned for 2011 which demonstrate, once again, our great commitment to Asia and our desire to offer the best service possible to collectors throughout the region," Francois Curiel, president of Christie's Asia, told the publication.