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

The five-day event showcases various aspects of the ceramic industry, covering the entire industrial chain, domestic and international markets, and the application of digital technology across an exhibition area of 140,000 square metres.

Exhibitors from more than 19 countries, including Spain, Germany and Japan, are taking part in the expo. Themed exhibition zones highlight 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 longstanding gap in the list's representation of porcelain heritage and becoming China's 61st World Heritage site.

The sites reflect the handicraft porcelain industry system that developed in Jingdezhen between the 10th and 19th centuries.

Today, the city's ceramic industry chain employs more than 100,000 people, while the comprehensive division-of-labour system that contributed to its historical success remains active.

First held in 2004, the expo has steadily expanded its international reach and developed into a comprehensive platform for exhibitions and trade, cultural exchanges and investment cooperation.

Jingdezhen, which has a population of more than 1.6 million, recorded a net population inflow of 136,000 over the past decade. More than half of those who have established long-term businesses in the city come from outside Jiangxi Province, including a notable number from overseas.