"I’ve never seen any of these products before.” Shalima, a 62-year-old Tibetan woman, said to herself in front of a Taiwanese vendor at the Tibet Conference Center in Lhasa.

On September 11, at the 3rd annual China Tibet Tourism and Culture Expo (Tibet Expo), there are 25 new vendors from Taiwan present, with exhibitions inside and outside the conference center.

This Taiwan business and tour group was invited by the Tibetan Restaurant Association; the group arrived in Tibet at the end of August for the ShotonFestival.　　

Ke Hongteng, the leader of the group and deputy director of the Taiwanese Night Market Culture Association, said that due to reactions to Tibet’s high altitude, half of the group’s 22 members returned to Taiwan after arrival. “Only 11 people stayed. But our Taiwanese snacks are surprisingly popular in Lhasa, so we accepted the invitation and came to the 3^rd Tibet Expo.”

From ShotonFestival to the Tibet Expo, Ke Hongteng and Xu Dafu are having their busiest month of the year in Lhasa.

Basil seeds, nougat candy, cranberries…. Taiwanese businesses are shipping boxes of these Taiwanese treats to Tibet via air. “We have spent tens of thousands of yuan on shipping already. There’s still a dozen boxes on the way.” Said Xu Dafu as he opened a box of just-arrived Longlife cigarettes.

Just like him, many Taiwan business owners visiting Lhasa for the last two weeks are seeing the potential of the Tibetan market.

Ke said Tibetans like the light flavor of Taiwanese food, such as oyster omelets, “small sausage in large sausage (Taiwan hot dog),” Me Lan shrimp pancakes, etc., which were all hot sellers at the Shoton Festival. “We could bring in even more things and add the flavors locals like.”

Compared to inland China, Tibet has fewer people and a smaller market. But Ke believes that the Tibet Expo has attracted more tourists, which will open the door for Taiwanese food in Tibet. In addition, the culinary exchange would also help the Taiwanese know about and understand Tibet.

"In my observation, there’s very few Taiwanese tourists in Tibet, but they are always coming. You could sometimes hear the Taiwanese accent during Shoton Festival.” Ke travels back and forth very often. He wants to contribute toward the exchange between mainland China and Taiwan in addition to making his business prosper. “The Taiwanese are very curious about the mysterious Tibet. I hope our presence at Shoton Festival and the Tibet Expo would bring more exchange between Taiwan and Mainland for this plateau.”

Shalima took a closer look at what she purchased after she left the Taiwanese vendor. She said, “I’m getting older and since I live on the plateau, I often have a sore throat from the temperature changes. I’ve never been to Taiwan, but I trust the products from there.”