Experts say that Dehua ceramic craftsmen are not only skilled but also innovative. (Photo : www.whatsonxiamen.com)
The World Crafts Council (WCC) named Dehua County in Fujian Province as the “World Ceramics Capital” on May 31, Sunday, the Southeast Express reported.
The report said that Dehua was conferred the title through a unanimous vote following a two-day investigation by a panel of international experts on May 29 and 30.
According to the experts, Dehua met the criteria to win the honor with its long history in ceramics industry, attractive ceramic products and solid industrial infrastructure.
The experts also said that Dehua craftsmen are innovative and learned older skills, which brought the ceramics industry to new heights, generating more economic and social value.
Manjari Nirula, vice president of WCC South Asia, said that she was impressed that the county has integrated ceramic culture into schools, where ceramics are seen everywhere--in the offices, classroom, playgrounds, hallways, blackboards and windows.
"It is extremely important for the sustainable development of skills. And there is a sound, friendly competition between craftsmen, which contributes to the boom of ceramics in Dehua," Nirula was quoted as saying.
Wang Shan, WCC's executive chairman, pledged to promote Dehua ceramics across the world.
Wu Shensheng, Party Secretary of Dehua, said that winning the title will help the county promote its product to the global market, and that the county will partner with WCC to build a platform for ceramics development and cooperation in relation to the modern maritime Silk Road.
The report said that Dehua has some 1,400 ceramics enterprises with more than 100,000 practitioners at present. As the largest ceramic producer and exporter in China, 80 percent of the county's ceramic products from Dehua were exported to over 190 countries and regions in 2014, with a production value of 17.7 billion yuan.
Dehua authorities said that they will implement various programs to enhance its dominance in the industry, such as ceramic tourism, business incubators and tapping into e-commerce.
