The 23-day festival, which opened on April 27, is jointly sponsored by Wal-Mart China Co. Ltd, the United States Agricultural Trade Office and five other organizations - the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, Sunkist Growers, the US Poultry and Egg Export Council, US Meat Export Federation and US Potato Board.

During the festival, the first of its kind in China, genuine fresh and frozen food from the United States is featured, along with on-the-spot sales of American snacks, cooking demonstrations and entertainment programs.

Dalian is one of the major gateways for goods from the United States to hit the Chinese mainland market.

Wal-Mart now operates 19 shops in China, where 95 percent of goods on sale are made in the Chinese mainland. Last year, Wal- Mart procured more than US$10 billion worth of goods from China either directly or indirectly.

(People's Daily May 2, 2002)