When Jingdezhen, the ancient porcelain capital, meets the world's gaze, and each piece of delicate ceramic connects the trade pulse across five continents—on October 18–22, 2026, the 23rd China Jingdezhen International Ceramic Expo grandly opened. This marks the first ceramics expo since "Jingdezhen Handmade Porcelain Craftsmanship" was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Concurrently, the "Gan Trade Premium Products, Connecting the Globe" 2026 Jingdezhen Ceramic Cross-border Procurement Conference unfolded, drawing overseas buyers from over 40 countries and regions to the porcelain capital for a mutual rendezvous dedicated to ceramics.
Crossing mountains and seas, they come for porcelain. Forty-two overseas procurement representatives have traveled from the vast regions of the Middle East and South Asia, from Russia and Central Asia, and from Europe, America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Here are Fortune 500 groups, leading retail chains and supermarkets, international luxury design brands, as well as industry chambers and seasoned traders from around the world. A remarkable 62% are senior executives—chairmen, CEOs, and procurement directors—with decision-making authority. They journey thousands of miles just to discover the masterfully crafted porcelain of Jingdezhen.
Some people are fond of the lively and elegant charm of hand-painted art porcelain, while others are in search of the practical texture of complete sets of daily-use porcelain. Middle Eastern merchants are looking for Arab-style coffee sets and Eid gifts of porcelain. Russian and Central Asian merchants prefer home dining sets. European and American high-end buyers travel specially just for handcrafted art porcelain and designer co-branded bone china. Vases, tableware, tea sets, coffee sets, and commercial porcelain for hotels - each piece of porcelain carries the aesthetic preferences and market expectations of different countries.
At the meeting site, each negotiation table became a small stage for exchanges between Chinese and foreign parties. Interpreters moved among them, and language no longer became a barrier. Overseas buyers held the porcelain cups and carefully examined the patterns，touching the texture of the glaze；domestic ceramic enterprises presented samples and told the story of the refinement by clay and fire. Both sides exchanged contact information，looked through product catalogues，and discussed various details such as sample production，OEM & ODM customization， and bulk purchases. More than a hundred one-on-one negotiations took place here one after another. Ideas collided with business opportunities， and inspirations flowed in both directions along with orders.
This journey to the porcelain capital also took the buyers to the factory workshops. They visited Hongli Porcelain Industry, Lingzhi Home, and Guo Ci Guan, entering the production lines and witnessing the entire process of a piece of clay transforming into exquisite porcelain through processes such as coiling, painting, and firing. The machinery roared, artisans worked at their desks doing hand-drawing, and stacks of semi-finished products and a wide variety of finished products were displayed on the shelves. Overseas buyers held their mobile phones and took continuous photos, experiencing the complete ceramic production chain of Jingdezhen up close and truly touching the strong power of "the world's porcelain capital".
"Jingdezhen is like a living ceramic museum, with ceramic imprints everywhere. The porcelain here is full of craftsmanship." This was the heartfelt comment made by Rudolf Lukacek, the founder of Swiss company Agenor Holding.
"The news about being a World Heritage Site made me determined to come to Jingdezhen." According to Mr. Toth, he had always heard that Jingdezhen is the birthplace of world porcelain. When the news that "The Legacy of Jingdezhen Handicraft Ceramics Industry" was successfully included in the World Heritage List reached Germany, he immediately scheduled his trip and came specially to attend the first porcelain expo after the successful application for World Heritage status. After attending the event, he said, "The reception arrangements were very thoughtful and detailed. I could focus on selecting products. I have found several suppliers I like and look forward to visiting again."
The merchants who came from afar were deeply impressed by the ceramic culture of this city. The efficient coordination services and high-quality ceramic products received full praise from overseas buyers.
The offline negotiations were in full swing, and the cloud platform was also bustling with activity. This matchmaking event launched a bilingual online live broadcast, moving the Ceramic Expo and the cross-border procurement matchmaking area online. The host led global merchants who couldn't be present in person to "virtually visit the event", explaining and sharing the real-time situation of the matchmaking. The 3-hour live broadcast was viewed by a total of 5,828 people, with a peak online audience of 775 people, and received over 18,500 likes. Even though they were thousands of miles apart, global merchants could view the ceramics online, select products, and expand the international influence of Jingdezhen ceramics.
