French cuisine hard to swallow in China

With its unusual cutlery, bizarre names and complex etiquette, French haute cuisine is as daunting as it is appealing to Chinese diners, despite the country's own proud culinary tradition.

On Thursday, more than 40 restaurants in China offered six-course menus highlighting French ingredients as part of a worldwide gastronomic and diplomatic pushback in the face of ever-increasing competition.

The French ambassador in Beijing received 160 high-society guests, and Paris' consulates in Hong Kong and Shanghai put on dinners too.