On March 29th, Consul General Fang Xinwen attended the opening ceremony the 2026 Melbourne Asian Food and culture Festival and delivered a speech. More than 100 people, including the event organizer Chen Guangbao, President of the Victorian Shandong Fellowship Association, Federal MP Gabriel Ng, Victorian MPs Paul Hamer, Richard Welch and Aiv Puglielli, Manningham City Mayor Jim Grivas, Whitehorse City Cr Peter Allan, Melbourne City Cr Gladys Liu, attended the opening ceremony.

Consul General Fang stated that, using food and culture as a bridge, the 2026 Melbourne Asian Food and culture Festival makes new contributions to promoting people-to-people exchange between China and Victoria. The Two Sessions of China have drawn a new blueprint for China's future economic and social development, depicted a new vision for cooperation between China and the world, and provided new opportunities for exchanges and cooperation between China and Victoria. He welcomed friends from all walks of life in Victoria to visit China to experience Chinese cuisine,culture and Chinese-style life, and feel the pulse of China's development in all aspects.

The speakers stated that Victoria is a multicultural society. They expressed their willingness to actively support multicultural activities, including the food and culture festival, and jointly promote the prosperity and development of Victoria's multicultural cause.