Globefish dishes are on display at the 10th Globefish Festival in Hai'an, Nantong on May 10. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 10th Globefish Festival opened in Hai'an, a county-level city in Nantong, on May 10 and will last for 28 days, local media reported.

At the launch ceremony, specialties from 10 towns and districts in the city were on sale, attracting many buyers. Six local restaurants took part in the annual globefish cooking contest, offering up 20 globefish dishes to tourists.

"A native Hai'an chef can cook globefish in more than 100 ways," said Shao Xiangcai, chairman of the city's dining industry association. This year, the globefish stewed in brown sauce won the top prize.

Officials also announced at the ceremony that the local government will offer 50,000 coupons to tourists from outside the city during the festival, aiming to promote the city's tourism and stimulate consumption amid the novel coronavirus outbreak. Visitors can get a 50-yuan discount per coupon if they spend 150 yuan ($21.21).

Hai'an, located at the estuary of the Yangtze River, boasts a favorable natural environment in which globefish can grow. Locals have eaten the fish for more than 2,000 years, despite its fatal toxin.

The city is a major globefish production area in China, supplying 80 percent of the country's artificially bred globefish.

Zhongyang Group, a leading aquatic company in Hai’an, has built a globefish park dedicated to the cultivation and protection of rare fish in the Yangtze River. It also serves as a tourist destination for sightseeing and entertainment.