In Chengdu, there is an Italian who loves chili peppers even more than many locals who cannot enjoy a meal without spicy food. He even uses chili peppers and Sichuan cuisine to bring Chinese stories to the world. From a diplomat to a foodie, how does he deal with chili peppers and Sichuan cuisine? How does he establish and promote a Chinese food brand for the world? And what kind of "spicy life" is he living in Chengdu?

On the evening of October 30th, in Room 203 of the Business School of Sichuan University, Mr. Zhang Lukang, known as the "Spicy Diplomat," delivered a captivating speech titled "Empower Your Business with Your Dreams - A Spicy Entrepreneurial Sharing" to MBA students at Sichuan University. Mr. Zhang Lukang serves as the Chairman and CEO of Chongqing Dezhuang International Trade Co., Ltd., the Secretary-General of the World Chili Alliance, and the founder of the CHINET brand. He also previously held the position of Director of the Commercial Section at the Italian Consulate in Chongqing.

Mr. Zhang Luka shared his three entrepreneurial experiences and his personal insights gained during these periods. He believes that as an entrepreneur, one must first understand oneself, comprehensively analyze personal strengths and weaknesses, as well as the opportunities and risks that the external environment may bring. As long as one persists in pursuing their dreams, success will eventually come.

In addition, Mr. Zhang Luca also shared how he became fascinated with China, why he gave up his promising career as a diplomat to venture into business and create the CHINEAT brand, and his experiences of being constantly rejected and continuously trying to promote Chinese chili sauce overseas.

During the lecture, Mr. Zhang Luca repeatedly mentioned the classic Confucian thought of "cultivating oneself, regulating the family, governing the country, and pacifying the world". This classic quote from "The Great Learning" has accompanied him throughout his journey, and it was precisely this quote that inspired him to become a lifelong propagator of Chinese food culture!

After the sharing session, the students and Mr. Zhang Lukang engaged in exchanges and discussions on topics such as "the feasibility of Chinese snack Fried Dough Twists going global", "why choosing Chinese chili sauce as a stepping stone to spread Chinese cuisine to the world", and "how to choose your own entrepreneurial partners". Mr. Zhang Lukang's motto, "If passion was the currency of the 21st century then I would be very rich. What about you?", once again sparked the students' thoughts.

Zhang Luka, Chairman and CEO of Chongqing Dezhuang International Trade Co., Ltd.; Secretary-General of the World Chili Alliance; Founder of ChinEAT brand (a global Chinese cuisine brand); Former Director of the Commercial Section of the Italian Consulate in Chongqing.