Singapore's trade promotion agency launched a "Tasty Singapore Food Product Center" in Yiwu, an Eastern Chinese city known for having the largest small commodity wholesale market in the world, the agency said on Wednesday.

International Enterprise Singapore, the trade agency, said the center is a joint initiative by the Singapore Food Manufacturers Association and itself to promote the city state's food and beverage industry in China.

Liang Liming, vice governor of Zhejiang province, where the city Yiwu is located, and Singapore's Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang attended the opening ceremony.

The center showcases Singapore food products within the Yiwu International Commodity Trade Mart.

International Enterprise Singapore said the center will benefit small and medium-sized enterprises in the food and beverage sector looking to venture into China. It will provide an additional marketing channel for companies that are already established in the market.

The center currently features 20 food and beverage companies with products such as cooking oils, desserts, frozen foods, instant beverages and sauces.

"For the food and beverage companies to succeed in China, brand- building and promotion are as critical as building strong distribution networks," said Yew Sung Pei, assistant chief executive officer of International Enterprise Singapore which has several offices across the major cities in China.