On Friday, June 19, 2026, the start of the new herring season was festively celebrated in the harbor of Scheveningen during the Largest Herring Party. This annual event brought together representatives from the business community, the fishing industry and international cooperation partners around one of the most famous Dutch traditions: the Hollandse Nieuwe. Among the hundreds of guests were numerous prominent entrepreneurs, directors and leaders from the Dutch and Chinese business world.
The network meeting at the Dr. Lelykade was all about meeting, culture and cooperation. The Netherlands China Association (VNC) was one of the official partners of this year’s event. Together with MIDO and Wuliangye , the association received its relations and guests, once again underlining the VNC’s active commitment to strengthening economic, cultural and social relations between the Netherlands and China.
On behalf of the municipality of The Hague, Marc Godschalk welcomed those present. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of cooperation between local entrepreneurs, international partners and the maritime sector. During the official partner moment, representatives of the VNC, MIDO, Wuliangye, Business Netwerk Haaglanden, the Scheveningen Port Association and other cooperation partners appeared on stage together. With the joint tasting of the first Hollandse Nieuwe, not only the herring season was opened, but also the importance of international cooperation was symbolically underlined.
The herring occupies a special place in the Netherlands. For centuries, this fish has been linked to Dutch shipping, trade and food culture. The arrival of the Hollandse Nieuwe marks the beginning of a beloved tradition every year, in which the herring is eaten with onions and pickles, or in the classic way at the tail.
A special part of the Biggest Herring Party was the contribution of MIDO and Wuliangye, who jointly provided an exclusive tasting and cocktail bar. Here, visitors were introduced to the versatility of the Chinese baijiu, both pure and processed in specially developed cocktails. In addition, they introduced a surprising Chinese interpretation of the Hollandse Nieuwe, served with seaweed, radish, pickled onion and soy sauce. The combination of Dutch herring tradition and Chinese culinary refinement was enthusiastically received by the visitors and was a tasteful illustration of the cultural exchange that the Netherlands China Association wants to promote.
For the Netherlands China Association , the Largest Herring Party offered an excellent opportunity to bring members, entrepreneurs, administrators and other relations into contact with each other. The presence of prominent representatives from both the Dutch and Chinese business worlds also made the event a valuable networking platform where existing relationships were strengthened and new collaborations could arise. It is precisely such encounters that form an important part of the association’s mission: to promote mutual understanding and sustainable cooperation between the Netherlands and China.
With the combination of Dutch tradition, Chinese hospitality, culinary surprises and business meetings, the Biggest Herring Party 2026 was not only a festive opening of the herring season, but also an inspiring example of how culture and entrepreneurship can reinforce each other.
See here the video impression of another very successful VNC event, thanks to EUC Media.
