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
A delegation of 40 students and teachers from seven Chinese mainland universities on Thursday wrapped up their nine-day visit to Taiwan. They set off for Taiwan on Nov. 27 and visited universities, historical sites, scenic spots, as well as sports, sci-tech and cultural venues on the island, widely engaging with locals throughout the tour.
The delegation made the tour at the invitation of the Taiwan-based Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation.
"The young people from both sides of the Strait share the same root, and we are having a harmonious communication this time. We also welcome young people from Taiwan to visit the mainland for exchange," Cao Yibo, a student from Peking University, told reporters during the tour.
The delegation included table tennis Olympic champion Ma Long who studies at Beijing Sport University, and air rifle Olympic champion Yang Qian of Tsinghua University.
"In the future, I would like to visit Taiwan again. I did not expect that so many compatriots in Taiwan would come to welcome and us and pay so much attention to our exchange tour," Ma said.
Hsiao Hsu-tsen, executive director of the Ma Ying-jeou Culture and Education Foundation, saw off the delegation at the airport on Thursday, and said the mainland students and teachers had received Taiwan residents' heartfelt welcome wherever they went.
"The farewell dinner party was held yesterday evening, when almost all students from the mainland shared their feelings. What moved me so much is that every one of them thanked people here, because the latter sincerely and warmly welcomed them wherever they went during the nine-day tour. They told me that when they go back, they will tell their relatives and friends that people in Taiwan are kind, hospitable and warm. I believe that is the most important purpose of the exchange across the Strait," he said.
Calling youth exchanges a foundation of cross-Strait relations in the future, Hsiao said the foundation will carry on and continue to promote such exchanges across the Strait.
This is the second delegation of mainland teachers and students visiting Taiwan at the invitation of the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, following the visit by a first delegation in July last year.
Delegation of mainland university students, teachers wraps up Taiwan visit
