An exhibitor introduces Kyrgyz porcelain works during the 2026 China Jingdezhen International Ceramic Expo in Jingdezhen, east China's Jiangxi Province, Oct. 18, 2026. (Photo by Shi Weiming/Xinhua)

The 2026 China Jingdezhen International Ceramic Expo opened on Sunday in Jingdezhen, a city in east China's Jiangxi Province famed as the "porcelain capital," attracting more than 1,000 professional buyers from home and abroad.

The five-day event showcases several facets of the ceramic industry, including the entire industrial chain, its domestic and international markets and its application of digital technology, all within an exhibition space of 140,000 square meters.

It has brought together exhibitors from over 19 countries, including Spain, Germany and Japan. Themed zones feature creative design, smart ceramic manufacturing, international brands, and ceramic-producing cities.

The 2026 standards for the "Jingdezhen Made" regional brand and the city's digital culture and tourism platform were unveiled at the opening ceremony.

On July 25, the Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain Industry Sites were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, filling a long-standing gap in the list for porcelain heritage and becoming China's 61st World Heritage site.

The heritage sites represent the handicraft porcelain industry system that developed in Jingdezhen from the 10th to the 19th century.

Today, Jingdezhen's ceramic industry chain employs over 100,000 people, and the comprehensive division-of-labor system that once underpinned its historic success continues to thrive.

First launched in 2004, the expo has not only continued to broaden its international reach but also gradually built a comprehensive platform integrating exhibition and trade, cultural exchange, and investment cooperation.

With a population of over 1.6 million, Jingdezhen recorded a net population inflow of 136,000 over the past decade. Among those who have started long-term businesses in the city, more than half come from outside Jiangxi Province, with a notable number from overseas.  ■