The 10thYixing International Ceramic Culture and Arts Festival will kick off on Oct 18 and run through to the end of the month in Jiangsu province's Yixing, a city which is often hailed as the "capital of ceramics" in China, it was announced a media conference held in Beijing on Sunday.

Ceramics, especially the purple-sand tea pots, play an important role in the city's process of opening-up and cultural exchanges with foreign countries.And to better integrate its ceramic culture with other cultural elements, events showcasing the tea ceremony, calligraphy and painting will be run during the event.

Besides, the city has also launched a world pottery competition to further promote the handicraft, for which representatives from the International Academy of Ceramics and the China Ceramic Industry Association will be invited as judges. After the results of the competition are announced at the opening ceremony of the festival, the award-winning artworks will be displayed at the cultural center of Yixing's Dingshu town.