China Stone Fair Turns 25
XIAMEN, China – The world’s largest stone event, the China Xiamen International Stone Fair, is set to bring more than 150,000 attendees to this coastal city next March.
More than 2,000 companies will exhibit in more than 2 million ft² of space at the Xiamen International Conference & Exhibition Center on March 16-19, with attendees coming from more than 120 countries and regions.
Xiamen is China’s largest port for stone import/export and surrounded by several industrial clusters. Xiamen Stone Fair has evolved into a prime meeting point for establishing valuable business connections with key decision-makers in all sectors within the industry.
The event is a key entrance point for doing business with China’s stone industry. Buyer groups scheduled to attend next March include representatives from at least 18 countries from Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America.
The China Stone Materials Association, along with provincial stone associations in China, will join the fair with industry practitioners and governmental agencies. Groups of designers and enthusiasts from around China are heading to Xiamen Stone Fair for study tours and material selections.
To Exhibit: https://www.stonefair.org.cn/exhibitor/register.html?lang=en
To Visit: https://wap.stonefair.org.cn/#/login_en?lang=en
For more informattion, contact the Xiamen Stone Fair Team at +86-592-5959616, info@stonefair.org.cn, https://www.stonefair.org.cn.
Getting To The Event
China is one of the 17 countries worldwide that require a visa obtained through a U.S. based Chinese embassy or consulate. U.S. citizens need to get a visa invitation letter from Xiamen Stone Fair (available online through the event’s website) and then apply for an entry visa.
Getting a visa for China isn’t really a DIY project unless you live close to the official embassy in Washington or one of the five consulates-general (in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, or San Francisco). The standard processing fee at the embassy or consulates is $140 for a business visa, which is good for multiple entries to China for 10 years.
Several visa-service companies will help assemble all the information online and submit the required documentation for an additional $250-$300, including air-express deliveries to and from the companies. Given that the required information involves a 16-page packet with detailed information, and that the visa-service company handles the entire process, it’s probably worth paying the extra to avoid the hassle.
A U.S. citizen could attend the show without a visa – but travel arrangements will need to be precise and a bit unorthodox.
Xiamen is one of the cities that allows for a 144-hour (essentially six-day) visa-free transit. Citizens from other countries (including the United States) can visit China without a visa, if they enter directly from one country and depart directly to a different country. And, travel for business purposes is allowed.
This involves some canny scheduling skills. You can’t transfer from another city in China (such as Beijing, Hong Kong, or Shanghai) to get to Xiamen, which leaves out all U.S. airlines and most major foreign carriers. And, because it’s technically a transit permit, you can’t go back the same way you arrived. You also need to stay in Xiamen during your transit stay.
Here’s an example: You could fly direct to Xiamen from Los Angeles on Xiamen Airlines. However, heading home, you need to stop somewhere except China or the United States – possibly through South Korea on Korean Air. – before returning to L.A. When you arrive in Xiamen, you need to show proof of that outgoing paid booking to receive permission for the visa-free stay.
(Editor’s note: If you’re going to Xiamen, get the 10-year visa. I’ve made some odd travel scheduling over the decades, and trying the transit-stay route is not for those lacking booking skills and confidence.)
