Antwerp World Diamond Center (AWDC) announced a visit by Vice President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China.



H.E. Jinping , who was welcomed by H.R.H. Prince Philip of Belgium, Minister of Economy and Enterprise Vincent Van Quickenborne and the Board of Directors of Antwerp World Diamond Center and HRD Antwerp, visited the AWDC Diamond Office as well as the HRD Antwerp Diamond Lab, which issues grading reports for polished diamonds.



“This visit underscores the importance of the Antwerp diamond sector for China,” AWDC said in a statement.



Diamond exports to China reached a record high in the first half of 2009, according to AWDC.



“While the international diamond market is facing sluggish demand, China has a strong domestic consumption, especially in the wedding market, reaching a record high of US$300 million in the first half of 2009. This represents an increase of 12.7% compared to the same period of 2008,” AWDC said in a statement.



Exports of polished diamonds from Antwerp to China increased by 34.2% by volume in September 2009, compared to September 2008.



Freddy Hanard, CEO of Antwerp World Diamond Center, said: “We therefore want to enhance and stimulate further the diamond trade and enforce a common ‘diamond culture’ between both diamond centers.”