This past March, the annual Stonetech exhibition took place in Beijing, China, and it was a success, noticeably larger than its predecessors and including an expanded international presence. Pavilions dedicated to Turkey, Brazil, Italy, Spain and Egypt highlighted the international halls, and there was even a presence from North America, including companies such as Dakota Granite and Polycor. Traffic was consistent, and the main Chinese halls were occupied by some of the largest producers in the continent as well as emerging suppliers, all of whom had busy stands. Among the many attendees, North American stone importers were seen perusing the exhibit halls throughout the show, especially in the Chinese Pavilion.

While stone received most of the attention and comprised a majority of the show's floor plan, there were halls dedicated to stoneworking equipment and also for tools and accessories, mostly offered by Asian exhibitors. New stones could be found throughout the exhibition, ranging from well-known and established Chinese granites, to exotic stones from all over the world.

With the world getting smaller each year and processing capacity increasing at a fast pace in China, many people are trying to figure out exactly how to work best with China. The increased presence of North American importers, as well as suppliers from all around the world, shows that China is becoming more and more important in the world of stone.