Taiwan Night Market Debuts in Beijing, Vendors See Opportunities Amid Consumption Downgrade

(Taipei, June 16, 2026, reporter Chang Shu-Ling) A night market event promoting 'Taiwanese flavors' officially opened today in Beijing's Tongzhou District, with more than 50 vendors participating. Some vendors report significantly lower income compared to pre-pandemic levels, while others, including first-time Taiwanese entrepreneurs, are setting up food stalls in Beijing to 'test the waters.'

The opening ceremony of the 2026 Beijing-Taiwan Beautiful Village Forum and the 'Beautiful Village, Qiaqia Go' June Market was held today. The market is located outside a large shopping mall in Tongzhou, Beijing, and will run for six days. Each stall promotes authentic Taiwanese street food, including oyster omelets, Shenkeng stinky tofu, pig blood cake, grilled squid, taro milk, and winter melon tea.

Although all vendors are Taiwanese, there is a distinction between 'early arrivals' and 'newcomers.' Mr. Zhang came to mainland China in 2004 to work in construction but found it unprofitable. Around 2009, he switched careers to selling Taiwanese snacks and has since participated in various Taiwanese food festivals across Chinese cities.

He said business was strongest between 2010 and 2015, when mainland Chinese consumers were more fascinated by Taiwanese culture. Today, signs of 'consumption downgrade' are evident in the night market, with some customers sharing one meal among three or four people. Before the pandemic, a popular food stall could earn RMB 20,000 to 30,000 per day during events. Now, on regular weekdays, daily revenue may only reach around RMB 5,000—this figure does not include costs or rental fees, and performance varies by stall.

Several young vendors from Taiwan are participating for the first time, coming to Beijing to assess the feasibility of doing business on the mainland. In China, items like a stick of pig blood cake or a cup of bubble milk tea are priced at around RMB 18 (approximately NT$83), which is relatively high compared to Taiwan. Some believe this pricing could lead to higher income than in Taiwan.

The market is a side event of the 2026 Beijing-Taiwan Beautiful Village Forum, which primarily focuses on cross-strait agricultural exchange. At the opening ceremony, Li Hsu-Ching, founder of Taiwan-based organic agriculture group 'Yi Xin Hui Xiang Group,' delivered a speech. Indigenous performers from Kaohsiung performed traditional dances, energizing the atmosphere and inviting officials including Zhou Ning, Vice Chairman of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS), to join them on stage for a dance.

Mr. Zhu, attending the forum in Beijing, said Taiwan's organic agriculture is dominated by small-scale farmers who can barely meet domestic demand, leaving little surplus for overseas expansion. However, he noted that while organic agriculture remains a niche market globally and even smaller in China, the massive population base makes the overall market size significant. (Edited by Chen Kai-Yu) 1150616

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