The 22nd China International Hardware Knives and Scissors Fair kicked off in Yangjiang, Guangdong province, on Thursday, aiming to further advance global exchange and cooperation in the industry.

Covering an exhibition floor space of more than 20,000 square meters, the fair provides more than 700 exhibition booths to participants from around the world.

A total of 269 companies at home and abroad participated in the event, hoping to expand their presence in domestic and overseas markets by increasing cooperation during the four-day event, organizers said.

More than 10,000 professional buyers, traders and business representatives are estimated to visit the fair before it ends on Sunday.

China's major knife and scissors makers, including Shibazi, Zhangxiaoquan and Wangmazi, also set booths at the fair, aiming to boost their brands and seek new partnerships with Sino-foreign counterparts.

In addition to knives and scissors, special household items and other kitchen supplies, exhibits include stainless steel products, daily hardware, steel tools, construction hardware, horticultural equipment, packaging and decoration materials and hardware machinery and equipment.

With the fair continually improving its professionalization, marketization and internationalization, the event has now become the world's largest hardware, knife and scissors exhibition, according to Chen Xiaofeng, chairman of Guangdong Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

"In addition to exhibiting the latest products and technology, the fair has built a good platform for Sino-foreign exchanges and cooperation," Chen remarked during his keynote speech at the opening ceremony.

Yu Jinfu, deputy Party chief and mayor of Yangjiang, said that the city's hardware, knife and scissors industry has witnessed a rapid development in recent years, thanks to the influence of the fair.

With a history of more than 1,400 years of knives and scissors production, Yangjiang has become known as a "capital of knives and scissors", and has formed a large-scale hardware, knives and scissors industrial cluster with a complete industrial chain and diverse product categories.

According to official statistics, Yangjiang's annual hardware, knives and scissors industrial production has exceeded 55 billion yuan ($7.86 billion), accounting for about 70 percent of China's total and 85 percent of the country's exports.

The city's hardware, knives and scissors products are now sold to more than 130 countries and regions worldwide.

The fair was first held in the city in 2002. This is the first time it has been held offline in three years.