CHICAGO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Second U.S. International Chinese Cuisine Forum will be held during the upcoming 2019 Centennial National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show, which is scheduled on May 18-21 in Chicago.

Tony Hu, chairman of the American Chinese Restaurant Institute who will host the forum, made the announcement at a press conference on Wednesday night in Chicago.

Chinese cuisine experts and restaurant owners from around the United States will gather at the forum to share experiences related to Chinese cuisine, discuss the challenges Chinese cuisine faces, exchange views on the development of Chinese cuisine, and envision the prospects of Chinese cuisine in the United States.

Chinese Deputy Consul General in Chicago Huang Liming said Chinese cuisine has spread rapidly in recent years worldwide. It has not only met the needs of local residents for Chinese foods, but also provided a window for people worldwide to know China and understand China.

"Chinese cuisine is part of the Chinese culture," Huang said. To spread Chinese cuisine is also promoting Chinese culture. Huang hoped that Chinese cuisine may become a bridge of promoting mutual understanding between Chinese and the U.S. people.

Chinese cuisine came into the United States with the first group of Chinese railway workers some 150 years ago. There are now nearly 50,000 Chinese restaurants across the United States.

Chinese cuisine now faces such challenges as sanitary problem and lack of unified standards in the United States. How to enhance the level and status of Chinese cuisine will also be the focus of the forum.

The American Chinese Restaurant Institute, established in 2018, will also organize Chinese restaurants to present Chinese foods and cooking skills at the 100th NRA Show.