BEIJING, Nov 11: Many Chinese showed their keen interest in Pakistani food, and wished that it should be available in the local market.

“If a chain of restaurants, serving Pakistani traditional food, is opened here, they could attract good business”, said an official of ministry of foreign trade and economic affairs.

He told APP here on Sunday that China offered vast opportunities to foreigners to set up food outlets.

During a survey, it was observed that there is a growing trend among the Chinese to enjoy a variety of food, provided by other nationalities.

The food market, including hotels, restaurants and fast food business in China, has jumped to over 30 dollars billion in the recent years. Hundreds of fast food chains, like McDonald, KFC, Pizza Hut, Subway, Domino and Popeye, spread all over China, appeared as most popular business centres.

Many here believe that Pakistani traditional food is very tasteful and should be equally popular here.

A number of restaurants and fast foods shops have been set up by businessmen from the US, France, Italy, Lebanon, India, Russia and Japan, etc, in various cities of China. A couple of years back, there was only one Indian restaurant in Beijing, but now the number has risen to at least ten.

But, amazingly, nobody can find any Pakistani food shop here. Despite the fact that hundreds and thousands of Chinese, imbued with the spirit of Pakistan-China friendship, want to enjoy the food eaten by their Pakistani friends.

The Chinese, who have visited Pakistan or got an opportunity to enjoy hospitality of Pakistanis here, spoke high of the Pakistani dishes and suggested that they should be available in the market.

Several Chinese firms have expressed their desire to enter into joint ventures with Pakistani companies to set up food shops.

The Chinese government has relaxed the rules, providing ample opportunities to foreigner to do their business here and earn foreign exchange.

Now, necessary formalities for establishing such a business could be completed within weeks, one Chinese official said.—APP