Toy expo kicks off in Shantou

An international toys and gifts expo kicks off in Shantou, Guangdong province, on Friday, known as a major toy and gift manufacturing base, with intended domestic and overseas purchase agreements reach billions of yuan.

Intended transactions during the 23rd China Shantou (Chenghai) Toys and Gifts Expo reached 12 billion yuan ($1.68 billion), a historical record for the event, the organizers of the expo said.

Nearly 60 percent of children worldwide have played with toys from Shantou, which is the most comprehensive and largest production and trading base for plastic toys in China, with the highest market share, according to Wen Zhanbin, Party chief of Shantou.

The city has over 50,000 toy market entities, with its production volume dominating the national market and making it the top regional toy producer in terms of annual output value in the country, according to Wen.

Prior to the opening of the trade event, a 123-meter-long and nearly 3-meter-high Rubik's Cube wall, made up of 109,000 3x3 Rubik's Cubes, was officially certified by Guinness World Records as the largest mosaic made of Rubik's Cubes, showcasing various famous tourist attractions, historical buildings and local customs of Shantou.

"Today's Shantou toys showcase the fusion charm of traditional culture and fashion trends," said Wen.

This year's expo boasts a large scale, with an exhibition area of 50,000 square meters, nearly half more than last year, with over 10,000 buyers and exhibitors covering the entire industry chain from research and development to production and sales, according to the organizers.