The largest stone fair in Asia is history now. On 6-9 March 2013 stone specialists could meet almost 2,000 exhibitors who were given as many as 158,000 sq metres of the exhibition area. Especially for the fair, the organisers put into use a newly built 30,000 sq metre exhibition area.

The fair was dominated by, of course, granite, marble, stone sculptures with fanciful shapes, tombstones, garden stones, but also conglomerates. However, the fair in China is also an exhibition and presentation of the equipment used for stone extraction or processing. We have to notice technological novelties, for example devices for monitoring and measuring of resources. Is “know-how” going to be another idea to beat the European branch events? The university character of the city is also important here.

In Xiamen there is a famous university with a huge campus. Recently the transfer of cultural experiences and cultural exchange with Taiwan have been taking place since this city has become an experimental field for Chinese authorities. Around the city there are five economic zones, both for businessmen from Taiwan and from the West. Xiamen attracts investors from the whole world and, in spite of the fact that it is not a big agglomeration, it is among the top Chinese cities as regards the GDP growth.  
       

Photo: Livico Sica