Global mayors foster artistic ceramic bonds

City leaders from around the world hailed ceramics on Sunday as a timeless bridge of culture and friendship, saying that shared artistic heritage continues to transcend borders and foster understanding in a world of growing diversity and complexity.

The remarks were made at the 2025 Global Mayors Dialogue?Jingdezhen, an event held in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, known as China's "porcelain capital".

Kagan Mehmet Usta, mayor of Iznik, Turkiye, said both Iznik and Jingdezhen have been renowned for their craftsmanship and ceramic art for centuries.

"The bond between the two cities goes beyond their sister-city relationship," he said. "It symbolizes our shared cultural and artistic heritage and inspires new generations."

Iznik and Jingdezhen established sister-city ties in 2021, further deepening cooperation in ceramic art between China and Turkiye.

Nurbaev Niiazbek, deputy speaker of the City Council of Osh, Kyrgyzstan, said art has become a rare universal language capable of transcending barriers and building consensus in today's complex world.

"Ceramics are ambassadors of peace, reflecting a nation's aesthetics, craftsmanship and philosophy," he said. "Jingdezhen, fluent in this 'global language', has long kept its doors open to cultural exchange, fostering understanding and friendship."

Located at the heart of the ancient Silk Road, Osh shares a deep historical connection with Jingdezhen, he added.

"I plan to invite Jingdezhen's experts to train our ceramic specialists and to set up a special pavilion for Jingdezhen porcelain at our Silk Road trade fairs," Niiazbek said.

He added that the Belt and Road Initiative has created opportunities for cooperation among local cities from both sides.

"I believe there is still great potential ahead, and we hope to see more participation from Jingdezhen and Chinese partners."

Chen Kelong, mayor of Jingdezhen, said openness empowers both sides.

"Jingdezhen is promoting cultural and trade cooperation in ceramics and building new platforms for global exchange," Chen said. "We have carried out exchange activities in France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Turkiye, and opened flagship stores in Dubai and Istanbul to promote the 'Made in Jingdezhen' brand."

He said the city now trades with 70 countries and regions and has hosted artists from more than 50 nations in its open studios.

"We welcome friends from all over the world to share development opportunities and build Jingdezhen into a hub for international cultural exchanges," Chen said.

The Jingdezhen International Ceramic Expo, which began on Saturday and concludes on Wednesday, is showcasing the city's centuries-old craftsmanship and innovation.

Tourism in Jingdezhen has continued to surge in recent years, with official data recording 44 million visitors in 2022, 59 million in 2023 and more than 60 million in 2024.

During this year's eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, more than 9 million tourists visited the city, marking nearly double-digit year-on-year growth.

Veronika Todorova, deputy mayor of humanities activities for Troyan, Bulgaria, said she was very impressed by Jingdezhen's history, ceramics industry and traditions.

"We believe that the traditions of making pottery and ceramics provide a strong foundation for future exchanges and cooperation. We are eager to see how we can learn from each other and collaborate on new projects," she said.

Zhang Tianyu in Jingdezhen contributed to this story.