The Third Wuzhou International Gem Festival is scheduled to be held from September 29 to October 8 in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The festival is jointly sponsored by the Wuzhou municipal government and the China Gem and Jade Association.

The organizing committee said they have invited many relevant companies and individuals from home and abroad to attend the festival.

Apart from some displays, trade talks and investment negotiations, the festival will also hold competitions of jewelry design and forums on the development of the gem industry.

According to the association, Wuzhou is the world's largest processing and trade center of man-made gems with an annual outputof 6 billion pieces, accounting for more than 40 percent of the world's total.

(Chinanews.cn February 20, 2006)