The third Guizhou (Anshun) International Stone Expo, opened in China Stone Town, Guizhou province, on Aug 26, attracted many more foreign exhibitors this year, according to the expo's organizing committee.

The expo, celebrating the work of companies engaged in stone production, gathered more than 400 stone carving companies from home and abroad to exhibit their products over the four-day event, with over 600 professional purchasers also in attendance.

Participants included companies from Hong Kong, Taiwan and 20 other countries, including Italy, the US, Russia, Canada, Poland, Mexico and Greece.

"I believe the Expo will become a great platform to help all international stone enterprises exchange ideas and seek cooperation opportunities," said Andrea Cavaioni, president of the Verona Stone Industry Association of Italy.

An Italian stone carvings seller, Cavattoni visited Guizhou for the first time to showcase their company's marbles at the expo.

"Several clients came to me to discuss cooperation within just one hour after the opening ceremony," Cavattoni said. "The expo has a big scale, and is well organized, which helps to attract a lot of purchasers." "Italy is rich in the raw stone materials, which may not be able to be found in China, so I hope we can find cooperation partners to develop together," said Cavattoni. He expected to find Chinese partners to import raw materials from them and make products in China.

Cavattoni showcases special marble tiles at the third Guizhou (Anshun) International Stone Expo on Aug 26. [Photo by Dong Xianwu/chinadaily.com.cn]

Zeng Yongtao, Party chief of Anshun, expressed the city's confidence in developing its stone industry.

Anshun's stone output reached 8.25 million square meters in the first half of 2017, a year-on-year rise of 15 percent. In the same period, the city's industrial output value of stone and related sectors amounted to 1.15 billion yuan ($172.54 million).

"We will make full use of cooperation with other countries and regions to quickly boost the development of the stone industry," Zeng said.

Trade projects worth more than 100 billion yuan were contracted at the previous two expos.

Yana, a stone dealer from Ukraine, exhibits stone products at the third Guizhou (Anshun) International Stone Expo. [Photo by Dong Xianwu/chinadaily.com.cn]