Northeast China's Suifenhe City on the China-Russia border has been attracting visitors from both countries with classic Russian food infused with local flavors.
In the city, a bakery renowned for its 'lieba' has become a must-visit spot for many tourists. Lieba is a Chinese transliteration of the word for bread in Russian.
Bakery owner Liu Lihua learned the traditional way of making lieba in Russia before returning to China with the goal of introducing this gourmet treat to a wider audience. And she opened her bakery at a charming, century-old Russian-style building.
"When I saw the house, I chose it at the first glance. This house has a hundred years of history, and our craft also has a hundred years of history. So I hope to pass it on all together," said Liu Lihua, owner of the bakery.
To cater to local tastes, Liu has made some improvements by adding ingredients like eggs and nuts in the fermentation process of lieba making. Her new recipe received praise not only from Chinese tourists but also many Russian ones.
"It may not be impressive at the first bite, but the more you chew, the stronger the fragrance and flavor becomes," Liu said.
Shashlik, a Russian-style skewer known for its large chunks of meat, is also a favorite among visitors in Suifenhe, including Chinese and Russian tourists.
"The locals are used to eating this kind of Russian skewers. When the Russians came to Suifenhe, they also want to eat this kind of shashlik," said Yu Yansong, manager of a local shashlik restaurant.
At Yu's restaurant, diners can eat shashlik with either onions or garlic as side dishes, and opted for spicy sauces or cumin. The combination of Russian taste and local flavor creates a unique gastronomic experience for visitors.
"We make Chinese style shashlik, which is liked by people from both countries. It's a form of cultural exchange," said Yu.
Russian cuisine infused with local flavors attracts visitors to Chinese border city
Macao has been emerging as a global hub for conventions and exhibitions in recent years by exploring the enormous opportunities in the sector, driving the region to advance its economic diversification and embrace a brighter future.
Macao has received many awards this year, such as the Best Convention City (Asia) and the Best BT-MICE City, showcasing the recognition for and influence of Macao's exhibition industry.
More than 1,000 electronic game enthusiasts from all over the world gathered recently in Macao to participate in a esports themed event.
Su Zhili, organizer of the event, said that Macao's rich experience in hosting large-scale events, coupled with its good infrastructure, has driven him to choose the region as an ideal destination to hold such an activity.
"Macao has held many similar large-scale events. It has rich experience, and the facilities at the venue are relatively mature, so we can start our work comfortably," said Su.
During the first three quarters of 2024, Macao held more than 1,000 conferences and exhibitions in total.
"We will invite more professional, special conferences to be held in Macao and also cultivate more exhibition brands with international influence in Macao, so as to promote Macao's exhibitions to be more market-oriented, professional, international, digital and greener from various aspects. This is our goal," said Elaine Wong, member of the Macao Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute.
In addition, multiple large exhibitions and conferences, such as the Macao International Trade and Investment fair, the Macao Franchise Expo, and the International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum, are held regularly in Macao.
With the introduction of a series of policies and measures to facilitate the exchanges between the mainland and Macao, as well as the construction and development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Macao's convention and exhibition industry will embrace more opportunities for development in the foreseeable future.
"We have such a good industrial base in the Greater Bay Area. The mode of 'Convention and Exhibition + Industry' not only integrates the industries of Macao, but also the industries of the Greater Bay Area. In addition, Macao actively integrates into the national development and plays a role in the Belt and Road. Why are we so confident in Macao's convention and exhibition sector? Because it is backed by the motherland, and the country gives Macao great support," said Alan Ho, chairman of the Macao Association of Convention, Exhibition and Tourism Sectors.
Macao emerges as global hub for conventions and exhibitions, driving economic diversification and international recognition
