Lanzhou, January 18, China News Service (Reporter Ding Si) Food culture is the "pioneer" of exchanges and exchanges between Gansu and ASEAN countries. With similar religions and living habits, coupled with the geographical advantages of proximity, smooth channel logistics, fresh ingredients and diverse Gansu halal food, how to build a bridge of communication between each other? This has also become a topic of focus for representatives of the Gansu Two Sessions this year.

In recent years, Gansu, located on the "Silk Road on Land", has gradually gone out to sea, strengthened trade and economic cooperation with the countries of the "Maritime Silk Road", and cooperation with ASEAN countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam has gradually heated up.

In 2022, Gansu's import and export value to ASEAN was 5.88 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 84.6%. Halal products such as beef, mutton, yak milk, and "Ganwei" agricultural products have become new growth points.

"Gansu has Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, and ASEAN countries have a large Muslim population. They have many similarities in eating habits and daily necessities, which has complementary advantages for Gansu halal products to go global."

On the 18th, the Gansu Two Sessions were in progress. Chen Weizhong, a member of the Gansu Provincial People's Congress and Director of the Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, was interviewed by a reporter from China News Service and said that Gansu beef and mutton are of excellent quality and have a variety of cooking methods. "Dongxiang Hand-Grabbed" has already made its way to the tables of overseas diners.

In 2016, the Malaysian Islamic Development Department authorized and recognized the Gansu Linxia Halal Food Certification Center as an international certification agency for halal products in China, providing international authoritative certification for the export of Gansu halal food.

"This international certification will escort Gansu's halal catering to the international market." Chen Weizhong, who has visited more than 40 countries, suggested that the types of halal products exported to the ASEAN market can be expanded to include Gansu potato flour, Lanzhou beef noodles, and Northwest local snacks. It is necessary to control the source of ingredients and improve product quality in accordance with international standards to accelerate the pace of "going overseas"; it is also possible to invite ASEAN merchants to conduct field visits by holding halal food festivals.

In Gannan, Gansu, the "China Yak Milk Capital", the unique yak milk products of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have been upgraded in recent years. The "halal dairy" industry based on this has become the "matchmaker" for the local development of the ASEAN market.

Founded in 1953, Liaoyuan Dairy Group is the first "Chinese time-honored" dairy enterprise in Northwest China. Jin Guodong, a deputy to the Gansu Provincial People's Congress and director of the Gansu Liaoyuan Dairy Group Breeding Base Office, said that natural and pollution-free dairy products meet consumers' pursuit of green food quality. At present, the group's products have been sold to Pakistan and other countries along the Silk Road.

The group is also building an industrial park in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province, to create a halal dairy industry base with ethnic characteristics.

"Foreign consumers prefer sweet dairy products, and exports need to be adapted to local conditions and in line with local people's eating habits." Jin Guodong said that at present, the high transportation cost, short shelf life, and relatively simple packaging of halal food entering the international market still need to be paid attention to. It is recommended that the local government support enterprises to establish overseas warehouses, improve cold chain logistics facilities, and provide policy support to enterprises to expand product exports.

On the 18th, the Gansu Civil Aviation Airport Group disclosed that the Lanzhou-Bangkok international passenger route will resume on January 26.

"Convenient transportation promotes exchanges between the two places." Jin Guodong said that food is the most direct communication. With halal food such as dairy products as a bridge, the group will also promote the origin of the food and its rich and colorful local ethnic culture through online and offline methods, so that it can take root overseas.