MADRID, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Spain's historic pottery city of Talavera de la Reina is seeking to strengthen cultural and commercial ties with China through its participation in the Jingdezhen International Ceramic Fair, the city's mayor has said to Xinhua.
The fair is being held from Oct. 17 to 22 in Jingdezhen, in east China's Jiangxi Province, with five Spanish ceramic artists attending the event.
"We're very happy because this international fair is perhaps the most important one worldwide in terms of ceramics. The fact that we have 48 pieces from 18 workshops in Talavera is a challenge, and it is also a source of pride for me as mayor of this city," Jose Julian Gregorio Lopez, mayor of Talavera, told Xinhua on Tuesday.
Renowned for its ornate glazed pottery, Talavera has a centuries-old ceramic tradition that flourished in the 16th century. Its traditional ceramic-making processes were inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2019, alongside those of two Mexican communities.
The pieces selected for the exhibition feature a range of designs and techniques reflecting the diversity of contemporary Talavera pottery. According to the local council, participating artists were given complete freedom to choose works that best represent their artistic identities.
"The ceramics we have at the fair are contemporary, artistic but within the traditional ceramics of Talavera, so that our exhibition is very complete, and our ceramicists will be able to meet their counterparts from China and other countries at this major fair, and see how they work," said the mayor.
In 2025, Talavera hosted a touring exhibition of Dehua white porcelain, known internationally as "Blanc de Chine," from southeast China's Fujian Province. During the exhibition, Dehua officials expressed hopes of establishing sister-city ties with Talavera and expanding cooperation in ceramic craftsmanship, culture and trade.
Talavera's participation in Jingdezhen this year reflects the two-way nature of these exchanges, with Talavera now bringing its own ceramic heritage to Chinese audiences.
"We're doing this exhibition, but then we will also have exhibitions here in Talavera from China, showing their porcelain and their ceramics. It is a two-way street," said the mayor.
Beyond cultural exchanges, Talavera is also seeking to create new commercial opportunities for its ceramic artists and workshops in the Chinese market.
According to the local council, the works displayed at the fair will remain in China after the event, while Talavera will establish a permanent official sales point at the Jingdezhen Official Ceramic Flagship Store, providing a lasting platform for Spanish ceramic products in China. ■