An influx of foreigners is changing the face of the cuisine scene in this Pearl River Delta city.

Just five years ago there were only five Japanese restaurants -- there are now 100.

At least 50 South Korean restaurants have opened in a similar space of time, and numerous Western-style eateries.

Steady trade

And they are all enjoying a steady trade, says Gao Yinjiao, director of the Foreign Affairs Office under the Zhongshan government.

The mushrooming of foreign restaurants is the result of a sharp increase of residents from overseas, Gao said.

Doors are opening to locals as well as foreigners, he said.

Foreign-style pubs and bars -- operated by foreigners -- are also opening in major streets in the city.

Zhongshan, bordering the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, has become home to more than 1,800 people from around the world, Gao said.

Overseas investors

They include overseas investors, management personnel, technicians, traders, experts and teachers employed in local colleges and schools.

Most foreign national are from the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia and Africa.

And as the city and Guangdong Province open more and more to the outside world, Gao predicts the number of resident foreigners in the city will continue to grow.

He said the city has one of the best working and living climates in Guangdong Province. It has become a major recipient of foreign investment and a famous tourist destination.

Zhongshan is now competing with other cities such as Shenzhen, Foshan and Zhuhai in Guangdong Province in attracting foreign nationals, said a spokesman for the Guangdong Provincial Bureau of Personnel.

He said there were about 80,000 people form overseas living in the province, most of whom in the Pearl River Delta region.

Zhongshan has built at least 10 international schools which are now enrolling foreign students and compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

Foreign languages

In them, Japanese and Korean have become major foreign languages alongside English, helping improve linguistic standards throughout the city.

Gao said a lot of the foreigners live in harmony with locals when they come to settle down in the city, some marrying Chinese.

Zhongshan has already opened ferry and shuttle bus services to Hong Kong and Macao.

It takes less than an hour to reach Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, using the expressway.

(China Daily August 12, 2004)