Director cameos in his own upcoming film

Hong Kong director Jacob Cheung makes a cameo in his new film, Rest on Your Shoulder, which will premiere at the end of June.

Cheung plays a matchmaker in the bitter love tale that revolves around a young entomologist and three women.

The 52-year-old is known for his art-house films, such as Intimates and The Kid.

Mainland actor Chen Kun (pictured) plays opposite three A-list actresses - Kwai Lun-mei, Gigi Leung and Jiang Yiyan.

Peking University starts new series of reforms

Applicants to the MBA program of the Guanghua School of Management at Peking University can do interviews before January's national written examination.

The move is one of the first reforms since the program started in 1994. Candidates can keep their admission qualifications for an additional year if they fail the test the first time.

And outstanding Peking University undergraduates can join the MBA program without taking the national exam if they perform well in the admission interview.

Two-week Global Business Immersion projects will run during summer and winter vacations to allow part-time students to engage in international exchange programs.

Overseas students will be offered intensive Chinese-language training and other specialized courses on the country's culture, economy and management. The school will also help them land internships with Chinese companies to gain practical experience.

Cultural forum boosts exchange across borders

The First Conference of World Cultural Forum (Taihu, China) was held on May 18 in Jiangsu province's Suzhou city.

Organized by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the forum, which holds a conference every two years, aims to build an open and multilateral platform for international cultural exchange, strengthen cultural dialogue and promote cultural development.

The two-day event was attended by more than 500 scholars, officials and celebrities, including master calligrapher and painter Fan Zeng, Nobel laureate Robert Mundell and Andre Azoulay, senior adviser to King Mohammed VI of Morocco.

Foodies talk fusion of Chinese cuisine in Beijing

Chefs and gastronomes from Shanghai, Beijing and Guangdong's provincial capital Guangzhou participated in the Flavor Forecast 2011, staged by McCormick in Beijing on May 17.

Experts at the forum say Chinese food will become increasingly influenced by fusion in terms of ingredients and flavors.

People increasingly pursue nutrition and healthiness in their dining habits, they say. They also predict that novel-tasting foods that combine local flavors will become popular in the country this year.

Capital shines with Michelin star chefs

Beijing will host a record number of Michelin chefs this summer. Four have visited this year and three more are scheduled.

Hilton Beijing Wangfujing announced it will organize a celebrity dinner on June 27, featuring three-star chef Francesco Cerea from Da Vittorio restaurant in Bergamo, Italy. Le Pre Lenotre at Sofitel Wanda Beijing will welcome Rene Meilleur, who has two Michelin stars, from June 23-30.

Michelin star chef Igor Macchia, from Italy, will host a gala wine dinner on June 23 and offer three-course set lunches from June 24-31.

China Daily