Kunming, capital of Southwest China's Yunnan province, is seeing green. The city, home to the nation's top emerald distribution center, has more than 3,000 jewelry enterprises. Almost all deal in emeralds.

With a 10 billion yuan turnover in 2009, emerald trade volume accounted for almost half of Kunming's jewels market. Predicted turnover this year is more than 13 billion yuan, according to Yunnan Provincial Jewelry Quality Inspection Institute.

Strict market regulations and new quality assurance measures have aided jewelry industry growth. Nearly 97 percent of city jewel products are up to standard, reported Yunnan Provincial Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision.

Kunming is fast becoming an internationally recognized center for jade processing, marketing, trading and research.

Several training centers for jade artisans, traders, and inspectors have opened in the city, awarding degrees to a number of talented future industry professionals.

Also contributing to the quality of Kunming's jade industry is the Yunnan Provincial Academy of Jewelry Quality and Technical Supervision. The jewelry and jade inspection body is Yunnan's only organization accredited in conformity assessment.

Its inspection standards are among the toughest in the country.

In 2009 the Academy introduced an emerald quality rating system, China's first local standards for emerald processing.

Experts estimate that the brand value of Yunnan Jewelry has exceeded 20 billion yuan.

Kunming is currently building an industrial center dubbed Jade City. It will combine jade mining, manufacturing, selling and tourism. The city is also beginning construction on a jewelry processing plant.

For many Chinese, jade represents honor, faith and immortality. Its history spans 7,000 years, and has given China its title as a State of jade.

(China Daily 07/26/2010 page10)