Imported marble has long been in high demand in China, including the types produced in Türkiye, said Rustem Cetinkaya, chairman of the Mining Sector Council for the Turkish Exporters Assembly.
Running an automated stone production plant and several quarries in Türkiye, Cetinkaya’s company exports blocks and slabs of marble finishes as well as cut-to-size products to countries across the globe, including China which he described as “the giant natural stone buyer” in the world.
Speaking to Xinhua in his showroom in Istanbul, the 25-year veteran in the industry said his company saw a solid increase in the exports of quality marble to China between 2013 and 2018, adding the trend is also evident in other Turkish marble exporters.
“Our exporters have started to open offices in China one by one. Gradually, as the two sides began to know each other, many Chinese friends have also come to invest in marble quarries in Türkiye,” said Cetinkaya.