CHICAGO, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of Chinese cuisine professionals and restaurant owners gathered at a Chinese cuisine forum Saturday to exchange views on the development of Chinese cuisine in the United States and the world at large.

The Second U.S. International Chinese Cuisine Forum, jointly hosted by the World Federation of Chinese Catering Industry (WFCCI) and American Chinese Restaurant Institute (ACRI), is aimed at providing a platform for restaurant industry professionals to share experiences related to Chinese cuisine, discuss the challenges Chinese cuisine faces and envision the prospects of Chinese cuisine in the world.

Yang Liu, chairperson of the WFCCI, said that thanks to constant innovation, China's restaurant industry has witnessed rapid development during the past years, with the number of overseas restaurants and global influence increasing remarkably.

Zhao Jian, Chinese consul general in Chicago, noted that Chinese cuisine embodies traditional Chinese culture and shows Chinese people's pursuit of a good life.

"I hope the Chinese restaurant industry can serve as a cultural bond to bridge China and the United States and make people worldwide better understand China," said Zhao.

Tony Hu, chairman of the ACRI, said that the purpose of the ACRI is to use food as a medium to prosper Chinese food and to enhance friendship. It is committed to helping the development of the Chinese food industry in the United States and promoting Chinese food to go abroad

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.