Two expats living in Wuxi make xiaolongbao following a professional chef's instructions. [Photos provided by Fang Luofan]

A launch ceremony for the convention was held on Saturday at 10.30 am. Government officials, top chefs, and restaurant owners expressed great pride in Wuxi's delicious baozi and strong support for the "baozi economy" in short speeches.

Hu Fajin, a consultant to the Wuxi Cuisine Association and entitled as a "Chinese Cuisine Master", served as the professional judge for the best brand at the convention. Dedicated to cooking baozi for decades, the senior gentleman gave a very vivid description of Wuxi's baozi culture in a strong Wuxi dialect.

Right after the launch ceremony, several expats living in Wuxi were invited to make xiaolongbao under the guidance of professional chefs. These foreigners showed great enthusiasm for the cooking method of Wuxi xiaolongbao and learned the skills really fast.

"I came to Wuxi last August and definitely love the cuisines of the city. I am learning to cook Chinese food in my spare time," said Mary Rhodes, a Scottish woman who teaches English at an international school in Wuxi, while excitedly making the baozi skins.

To further liven up the convention, a cute robot named "Xibao" was also invited as a special correspondent. Created by artificial intelligence scientists at Nanjing University, the robot kept interacting with great kindness and humor with media anchors and the general public.