Canadian PM savors Chinese culture

Canadian Prime Minster Stephen Harper on Thursday visited a local noodle restaurant in Beijing to sample the distinctive Beijing food.

After visiting the Langfang Home for Planners and Architects in Langfang city of North China's Hebei province, Harper came to Yiwanju Old Beijing Noodles to have lunch.

Founded in 1995, the restaurant is renowned for serving up Beijing cuisine, especially Zha Jiang Mian, a kind of fried sauce noodle popular in northern China.

Canadian entertainer and goodwill ambassador to China Dashan (2nd R, front) introduces Beijing local food to Canadian Prime Minster Stephen Harper (L, front) and his wife Laureen Harper (2nd L, front) during lunch in a local noodle restaurant in Beijing on Thursday. [Photo by Zhang Yunbi/chinadaily.com.cn]

Joining the prime minister was his wife Laureen Harper and Canadian entertainer Dashan (Mark Rowswell), who was recently named a goodwill ambassador to China.

Dashan told China Daily that the prime minister wanted a chance to interact with ordinary people and "savor distinctive Chinese culture," and this restaurant would help Harper learn about Beijing's food culture.

The Canadian prime minister arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for a four-day visit and will continue his China tour, visiting Chongqing municipality in Southwest China and Guangzhou city in South China after leaving Beijing.