The CPAFF, which ran from May 15 through May 22 in the capital city of 
Southwest China's Sichuan province, presented 45 sub-events and sideshows, 
including an opening ceremony, forums on cuisine culture, food experiences, as 
well as exchanges among chefs. As the official website for the Festival, 
https://foodfestival.gochengdu.cn provides the latest updates and information 
about the event and the city of Chengdu. 

Food is a universal language, and food festivals of various types are ways 
people frequently use to promote their food culture.

Running alongside the Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations in Beijing, 
the Chengdu Panda Asian Food Festival (CPAFF) proved a tasty side dish, 
impressing guests from around the globe.

According to statistics from the site, the PV of the website reached nearly one 
million.

At the opening ceremony of the Festival, the Chengdu Catering Profession 
Association announced the establishment of the Asian Food Culture Alliance 
(AFCA), in hopes of giving the people across the world a better understanding 
of the diverse food cultures in Asia.

During the CPAFF, Thailand, Israel, Pakistan, South Korea, Singapore, Japan and 
China's Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions  held their theme 
events, offering the experiences of their unique cuisines and cultures.

In the perspectives of many participants of the event, the Festival is not just 
about food, but about culture and people-to-people exchange. 

"I like Chengdu people's lifestyle and their attitude toward life," said Mr. 
Ran Peleg, Consul General of Israel in Chengdu, making no effort to conceal his 
love for the city. 

Mr. Peleg has a strong and special feeling for Sichuan food, in particular, 
spicy Sichuan dishes. "Twice Cooked Pork, Mapo Tofu, Dan Dan Noodles and hotpot 
are my favorites," he said.

Mr. Vithit Powattanasuk, Consul General of the Royal Thai Consulate General in 
Chengdu, is also a fan of Chengdu food.

"Food is the easiest and most effective way for cultural exchanges," he said, 
believing that food is key to cultural exchanges between Asia and the rest of 
the world. 

As the first UNESCO City of Gastronomy in Asia, Chengdu has the largest number 
of restaurants among all cities in China and showcases great inclusiveness and 
diversity in its food culture.

Based on big data, in the first quarter of this year, the number of Asian 
restaurants in Chengdu increased by 56%, exceeding that in Beijing, Shanghai 
and Guangzhou, second only to Shenzhen.

Source: gochengdu.cn