Guests enjoy food at an Italian food fiesta which opened in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province on Nov 23. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]

An Italian food fiesta opened in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province on Nov 23, local media reported.

Laowaitan is a central district in Ningbo located on the banks of the Yongjiang and Yuyao rivers. With its cobbled streets and decorative bars and restaurants, this district is popular among foreigners and locals alike.

The food festival, now in its fourth year, was jointly sponsored by the Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai and the Ningbo Municipal Office of Foreign Affairs.

This year's event gathered roughly 130 visitors from around the world.

The festival, initiated by the central government of Italy, has been held in more than 130 countries and included more than 3,500 food-related events.

A consul from the Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai said that he came to Ningbo for the first time in 2016 and was excited to come again to promote Italian food and culture to the world.

A dazzling array of specialty foods from Italy, including salami, ham, salad and white wine, tantalized the taste buds of many guests.

Ningbo has seen an increasingly close relationship with Italy in recent years.

In March, China and Italy signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly advance the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative.

One of the drafters of the MoU was Michele Geraci, deputy Minister of Economic Development of Italy, who once served as a professor in Ningbo's University of Nottingham.

Ningbo and Florence, Italy have enjoyed a sister city relationship since 2008.