The event "Face to Face, Pasta to Pasta" was launched on Monday in Beijing as part of the 2022 China-Italy Year of Culture and Tourism.

Chefs from China and Italy showed their noodle-making skills at the site. Famous folk music from the two countries was performed and the intangible cultural heritage item Tu'er Ye (the rabbit god) from Beijing was showcased at the ceremony.

The event will hold a "China-Italy Pasta Challenge", which invites chefs, food bloggers and food lovers to participate in the challenge and share their noodle making skills or stories related to the foodstuff.

Zheng Hao, deputy director of the Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation at China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Ginevra Oliva, cultural counselor of the Embassy of Italy in China, attended the launch ceremony and delivered speeches.

Zheng said China and Italy are two countries with vibrant culture and have made great contributions to the progress of humanity, adding that cultural relation is an important bond linking the people of the two countries. He expressed his hope that the event can increase communication and understanding between the two peoples by using food as a bridge.

The event was sponsored by the Bureau of International Exchange and Cooperation at China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism along with People.cn. It will last until mid-January 2023.