The International Bund Gateway, a new commercial hub owned by Keppel Corporation – the global asset manager headquartered in Singapore – recently celebrated its grand opening in East China's Shanghai.

The event took place in the North Bund, located in the Hongkou district of Shanghai on Nov 16.

One of its attractions is the special hawker center on B2 floor, presenting top Singaporean culinary delights such as Hainanese chicken rice, curry, laksa noodle soup and bak kut teh – a popular Chinese dish in Singapore known for its pork rib soup.

Hawker centers are considered a perfect example of Singapore's diverse, vibrant food culture, serving as open-air culinary destinations that bring together a wide array of affordable and delicious local and international dishes.

The centers play a crucial role in preserving its culinary heritage, with many stalls inheriting the island-state's traditional recipes and cooking techniques. Maintaining high hygiene standards, Singaporean hawker culture gained global recognition, with UNESCO acknowledging its significance as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2020.

Staff members prepare things at food stalls in the hawker center in the International Bund Gateway. [Photo/eastday.com]

During the opening ceremony, Wu Laishun, chief representative of Keppel Corporation in China, highlighted the longstanding friendship between Singapore and China.

He said that with Keppel's strong presence in China spanning three decades, there's been a particular focus on contributing to China's development, especially in Shanghai.

This commitment was evident in the company's investment in two additional projects in the Hongkou district, complementing the International Bund Gateway.

Moreover, Keppel's efforts are aimed at bolstering the district's appeal to globally competitive market players, with the ultimate goal of establishing it as a world-class business district.