Shelves are stacked full of glittering arrays of exotic foods, and pavilions are crowded with visitors - and there seems to be no sign of an economic downturn in the food business as hundreds of international food producers and distributors flocked to China to tap the huge opportunities in the market.

FHC China 2008, the largest exhibition for the food and hospitality industry in the country, opened at the Shanghai New International Expo Center yesterday and will end tomorrow.

At 35,000 square meters, 20 percent larger than last year's show, the event has attracted 807 firms from 85 countries and regions to tap demand for imported food in China.

These foreign companies apparently believe in a promising future for imported food in China in the long run in that more Chinese are traveling overseas and becoming exposed to films and programs which feature lifestyles in foreign countries.

"Obviously the initial market is for expats or Westerners, but when I go to the retail store I noticed that there are more and more middle-class and upper-class Chinese who are interested in Western food," said Dennis Collins, general manager of BiRite Food Service Distributors Co, a United States-based firm.

This year, the bigger scale of the event - not only in participating countries but also in various types of products - showed foreign food companies are not so bothered about the negative impact of the financial crisis in China.

Also, it showed the importance of the Chinese market to offset weaker demand in Western markets.

"We believe it is necessary to support our companies to sell their products in China to help them survive, help the economy to grow and balance the effect of the crisis," said Guido Magoni, an official from the Italian Trade Commission.

(Shanghai Daily December 5, 2008)