KUCHING, Malaysia, 25 July 2025 – From 25 July to 17 August, the 2025 Kuching Festival is taking place at the MBKS Community Hall on Jalan Padungan, South Kuching.

　　The festival, a flagship annual celebration of South Kuching, showcases the city's unique cultural vitality, community spirit and innovative drive. The food fair is the centrepiece of the festivities, drawing tens of thousands of local food lovers and international visitors eager to explore its culinary diversity. In recent years, the event has grown into a three-week extravaganza featuring over 300 food stalls and attracting more than 1.5 million attendees. In 2021, Kuching was designated a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

A lively scene at the Kuching Festival food fair.

　　At the invitation of the South Kuching City Council, a Quanzhou delegation led by Xiao Zhaohui, Deputy Executive Director of the Quanzhou "Creative City of Gastronomy" Application Office, travelled to Kuching to participate in the exchange.

　　On the morning of 25 July, the delegation paid a courtesy visit to Dato Wee Hong Seng, Mayor of South Kuching and Chairman of the Kuching Food Association. The two sides engaged in in-depth discussions on culinary culture development, gastronomy branding, and integrating food with cultural tourism.

　　Mr Xiao noted that Quanzhou and Kuching established sister-city relations in 2017, with strong consensus on cultural and artistic exchange. He expressed hope that participation in the festival would further deepen ties between the peoples of both cities. While Kuching successfully joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2021, Quanzhou is currently applying for recognition as a Creative City of Gastronomy. Xiao stated the visit aimed to learn from Kuching's experience and foster mutual progress.

　　During the meeting, Xiao presented Mayor Wee with a certificate appointing him as a "Global Culinary Ambassador for Quanzhou", recognising his influence in the gastronomic field and inviting him to help promote Quanzhou's culinary culture internationally.

　　The Quanzhou delegation field research activities at the Kuching Festival.