Peking game of catch-up -- hot dogs like West's

The Peking Daily has proposed hot dogs and hamburgers to help solve a shortage of snacks and carry-out food in the Chinese capital. The newspaper, which criticized the lack of restaurants for the capital's 4 million people, said that out of 2,000 eating houses a mere 120 were serving fast food -- mainly noodles, cakes, and steamed bread buns.

"Abroad these days, fast foods such as sandwiches, hamburgers, and hot dogs, based mainly on bread and meat, are very popular," it added. Noting that 90 percent of Japanese families ate fast food at home, the newspaper said China should invest more fast foods of its own.