The 2011 Halal Food Festival will kick off on July 8 in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The five-day festival is expected to attract more than 5,000 participants from China and countries of East Asia and Middle East.

A batch of exhibits on halal food and Muslim appliances will open during the festival, with more than 200 exhibitors.

Meanwhile, visitors will have the opportunity to watch ethnic Hui performances, showcasing featured and colorful Hui clothing and tea culture.

The festival is the fourth in Yinchuan since 2005. The host city aims to promote the local Hui culture, develop the region's halal food industry and become a popular tourist destination by the festival.

In 2010, Yinchuan was selected as the permanent venue for China-Arab States Economic and Trade Forum. It brings unprecedented opportunities to Ningxia’s halal food industry, said Guo Yong, head of Commerce Bureau of Yinchuan.

Ningxia has the biggest ethnic Hui population in China. The Hui population practicing Islam stands more than 2.2 million, around one third of the total population in the region.