China pledges support for consumption in catering sector

BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- China's industry associations and platform enterprises in the catering sector will launch over 70 activities to boost consumption in 2023, in a campaign organized by the Ministry of Commerce (MOC).

The catering industry is important to the promotion of consumption, improving people's livelihoods and stabilizing employment, Chen Chunjiang, assistant minister of commerce, said at a forum on Friday, adding that the MOC will fine-tune supportive policies for the industry.

Various activities, including a forum on the high-quality development of the catering sector, an expo featuring Chinese and international foods, and a cultural festival of Chinese cuisines, will be held in 2023, according to MOC official Wang Dongtang.

Measures will also be taken by local governments to integrate the development of the catering sector with the tourism and cultural industries, Wang said.