China-ASEAN food fair showcases local specialties

Visitors purchase special local specialties from Guangxi during a food fair in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Oct. 16, 2020. A food fair showcasing cuisine from China and member states of the Association of southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) opened Friday in Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, promoting local specialties. (Xinhua/Zhu Lili)

NANNING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- A food fair showcasing cuisine from China and member states of the Association of southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) opened Friday in Nanning, capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, promoting local specialties.

The three-day fair boasts 2,663 varieties of special food, wines and snacks.

Sponsored by the Guangxi Food Industry Association and the Guangxi International Chamber of Commerce, the fair drew some 200 industry insiders and representatives of Thailand's Consulate General, Myanmar's Consulate General and Cambodia's Consulate General in Nanning.

Huang Ribo, vice-chairman of the Guangxi autonomous regional committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said the fair is of practical significance in broadening sales channels of agricultural products, helping businesses rebound from the COVID-19 fallout, assisting poverty alleviation in rural areas and facilitating development associated with Belt and Road Initiative.

A total of 636 enterprises brought high-quality food and special snacks from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region as well Guangdong and Yunnan provinces.

Wang Shishi, e-commerce supervisor of a local company named Beijiang Village in Rongshui County, Guangxi, said due to the impact of the epidemic, traditional sales channels of the company's agricultural products were blocked in the first half of the year. The sales have thus become more and more driven by online orders. Farmers hope the food fair can help release more consumption potential and expand their sales channels.