Nation sinks its teeth into chocolate

Global confectioners aim to grab slice of market

For Chu Jing, a 28-year-old white-collar worker who is getting married on Thursday - Western Valentine's Day - chocolates are her candy of choice.

Three flat-bottomed teardrop-shaped chocolates called Kisses, made by United States confectioner Hershey, and crispy chocolate wrapped in gold foil from the Italian company Ferrero, have been chosen by Chu and carefully wrapped in a red silk pouch embossed with roses.

Explaining her choices, Chu said, "The name Kisses shows the theme of love, and Ferrero's golden packaging symbolizes fortune in China."

At nearly all Chinese weddings, guests are given candy, often in beautifully packaged boxes and personalized to match a couple's taste. These boxes not only add to the festive atmosphere at each ceremony but also represent happiness and sweetness to the newlyweds' guests.

Giving candy at weddings has long been a tradition in China. In the past, people chose hard candy or jellied fruits as gifts. But in recent decades, it has become increasingly popular among young Chinese couples to include chocolates in the candy packages.

Still, it took decades for the Chinese to develop a taste for chocolate.