Hua Chunying, Spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] Amid the heated debate between Korea and China over the origin of kimchi, the Chinese government stated on the 20th that "emotions between Korea and China should not be harmed."
Hua Chunying, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular briefing that day, "I am not an expert in the field of food issues," but added, "In my view, pao cai (泡菜, Chinese-style pickled vegetables) is a type of pickled fermented food and is not exclusive to a few countries or regions."
She said, "China has pao cai, and both the Korean Peninsula and the ethnic Koreans in China call it kimchi," adding, "These things have commonalities, but each has its own unique characteristics in terms of ingredients, taste, and cooking methods."
She continued, "Each country should approach the pao cai issue through beneficial and friendly exchanges at a culinary level," emphasizing, "We should not hold prejudices that harm emotions."
Earlier, on the 1st, Hua Chunying also emphasized the friendly relationship between Korea and China, saying, "I think there is more cooperation and sharing between Korea and China," in response to the media debate over the origin of kimchi.
Meanwhile, the conflict over the origin of kimchi between Korea and China shows little sign of subsiding. On the 9th, Chinese YouTuber Li Ziqi, who has 14 million subscribers, posted a video of making kimchi with the hashtag #ChineseFood, sparking controversy.
Recently, Korean YouTuber 'Hamzy,' who has 5.3 million subscribers, stated that "kimchi is Korean food," which triggered backlash in China.
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