Jingdezhen, China's porcelain capital, is hoping to attract overseas investment to boost its economy and invigorate one of the country's traditional industries. 

"With more than 100,000 professionals skilled in porcelain making and marketing, the city needs money and up-to-date technologies to restructure this old industry to compete in the world market," said Wang Endong, assistant mayor of Jingdezhen City.

Porcelain products have been crafted in Jingdezhen for more than 1,700 years. Located in east China's Jiangxi Province, the area is still one of China's biggest producers and exporters of porcelain products to more than 120 countries.

Wang said Jingdezhen was one of the first areas in China to export porcelain products made in the village of Changnan (pronounced "china" in Western countries).

In the year 1004 when the Northern Song (960-1127) Emperor Zhao Heng asked all the products to be sealed with the words "made in the year of Jingde," Changnan has been called Jingdezhen, the town of Jingde. The imperial kilns of the Yuan (1279-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties were located there until the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1911.

Before the year 2001, the city's economic development was slow as most of the workshops were state-owned, said Wang.

Lack of publicity, capital and an active marketing network hampered the industry.

"We need foreign investment to reorganize the industry and build a platform to spur the area's economy," Wang said.

The city government has worked out regulations to promote and protect foreign investment. A solid investment environment will help compliment an ideal natural environment, authorities hope.

Preferential land use and tax policies have been developed.

Four bases are under construction in the city dealing with porcelain engineering technology, education and training, high-tech development and production, and an international fair for porcelain art exchange and trade, according to a work report issued in February by the city government.

Among the projects is a National Porcelain Technology Town approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Jiangxi provincial government.

The town will serve as a world market to attract artists, producers and businessmen.

(China Daily May 15, 2004)