Belgium and China celebrate 40 years of diplomatic relations this year, and Belgian Ambassador Patrick Nijs is making sure it gets noticed by flashing a few diamonds.

Denmark's Ambassador Friis Arne Petersen leans in to examine products at the opening of the Danish Food Showroom in Shanghai. [Photo/China Daily]

Why diamonds? The Belgians want to remind you that Antwerp is synonymous with the precious gem.

From Nov 18 to Dec 4, Chinese and expats can enjoy Belgian beers, chocolates and other food and beverages around the country and have a shot at winning one of 20 spectacular diamonds courtesy of renowned diamond retailer Chow Sang Sang.

If you consume or purchase items valued at 300 yuan or more from a participating merchant, your name goes into a lucky draw for the diamonds. (If you spend at least 100 yuan on Belgian goodies in one go, you are still eligible for a prize drawing for food vouchers, gift beers and boxes of chocolates and pralines.)

"The aim of the Belgian Gourmet Festival is to draw attention to Belgium's high-end food & luxury products," the embassy website says, "and to give Chinese and expats a wonderful culinary experience."

Visit www.belgiuminchina.org to find participating retailers all over China.

During the stay of the "Peace Ark", the Chinese Navy hospital ship docked at Trinidad and Tobago from Nov 8 to 15, cabinet ministers and other government and defense officials visited on board. Among them were Tim Gopeesingh, minister of education; Winston Dookeran, minister of finance; Surujratan Rambachan, minister of foreign affairs and communications; Fuad Khan, minister of health; Chandresh Sharma, minister of local government, Brigadier John Sandy, minister of national security, Fazal Karim, minister of science, technology and tertiary education and Rudranath Indarsingh, an official in the ministry of local government. China's Ambassador Yang Youming and Admiral Qiu Yanpeng welcomed the visiting officials.

The euro is going to school in China, as the EU Delegation in China launches a touring exhibition about its currency. The first stop was Sichuan University in Chengdu last week.