A member of staff prepares Zhacai (pickled mustard tubers) in Fuling, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Oct 16, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

CHONGQING/MEXICO CITY -- Fengdu County in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality is famous for exporting "zhacai", a traditional Chinese pickle made from mustard stems. The traditional Chinese appetizer with a century-old history has become a delicacy on the dinner tables outside China.

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In the production workshops of Chongqing Fengdu Sanhe Industrial Co, LTD, you can smell the fragrance of zhacai from far away. Tons of mustard stems go through many processes to be made into zhacai and exported to Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and other countries.

A dish of Mexican taco is served in Mexico City, the capital of Mexico on May 7, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

"We started exporting zhacai in 2001. Last year, the export volume was about 10,000 tons, and the output value was about 100 million yuan (about $13.7 million)," said Huang Han, chairman of Chongqing Fengdu Sanhe Industrial Co, Ltd.

In August this year, representatives of the company visited Mexico and Brazil as part of a local delegation seeking trade opportunities as well as cultural exchanges. "This gave us confidence and expectation to enter the Mexican market," Huang said.

The company's R&D team tasted a variety of Mexican foods, asked the local people for advice, and adjusted the zhacai formula according to the local taste of Mexico. Eight types of zhacai have been developed for the Mexican market. 

Huang Han, chairman of Chongqing Fengdu Sanhe Industrial Co, Ltd

"Mexican local food tastes sour, sweet, and spicy. I believe that Mexican taco with zhacai added will be a wonderful feast for taste buds," said Huang.

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"The company's R&D team tasted a variety of Mexican foods, asked the local people for advice, and adjusted the zhacai formula according to the local taste of Mexico. Eight types of zhacai have been developed for the Mexican market, and I plan to go to Mexico with samples in December," Huang said.

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In 2022, the trade volume between Chongqing and Mexico reached 13.64 billion yuan ($1.86 billion), up 6.2 percent year-on-year, and Mexico has become Chongqing's largest trading partner in Latin America, according to the Chongqing Municipal Government.

Xiao Chaoming, general manager of Chongqing Fengdu Mingfu Industrial Co, Ltd, has been producing and selling pickled Chinese onion for more than 30 years.

A member of staff drives a forklift to carry Zhacai (pickled mustard tubers) at Chongqing Fuling Zhacai Group Co, Ltd in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Oct 16, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Xiao said that the company began selling its products to Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and other countries in 2006. Today, the company's annual export volume has reached 1,800 tons and is expected to hit 4,000 tons next year.

In August, Sanhe and Mingfu reached a deal worth $2 million with the Chinese Association "Yucatan Peninsula" in Mexico. The first order of zhacai and pickled Chinese onion in Mexico marked a good start for the two Chinese enterprises to enter the Latin American market.

A robot arm processes Zhacai (pickled mustard tubers) products at an intelligent production line of Chongqing Fuling Zhacai Group Co, Ltd in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Oct 16, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Recently, a government delegation of southwest China's Chongqing Municipality visited Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil to deepen exchanges, economic, trade, and cultural cooperation between Chongqing and Latin American countries.

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During the visit, three investment and trade fairs attracted more than 600 Chinese and foreign enterprises, leading to 21 projects signed with a total investment and trade volume of 21.53 billion yuan (about $2.94 billion).

A visitor tries Zhacai from Chongqing Fuling Zhacai Group Co, Ltd at Japan International Food Expo (JFEX) 2023 in Tokyo, Japan, June 23, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

At the China (Chongqing)-Mexico Investment Promotion and Commercial Cooperation Conference held in October, Fadlala Akabani, Mexico City's secretary of economic development, said he hoped that Mexican enterprises could be incorporated into the supply chain of Chinese enterprises and that Mexican workers would be integrated into the production and marketing value chain of Chinese enterprises.

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"I think that between Mexico and China, our two countries have a prosperous future, and we must continue to work together," Akabani said.