Toy robots that can "chat," life-sized pianos made from building blocks, and remote-controlled cars that can turn on the spot gather together. Buyers from countries such as Germany, Brazil, and Romania, carrying thick product catalogs and brochures, shuttle and negotiate in the exhibition halls.

The 2023 Shantou (Chenghai) International Toy and Gift Fair was held from April 1st to 3rd in Shantou, Guangdong. The 3-day event attracted 1,052 international buyers and 30,000 domestic toy industry professionals and buyers.

On the day, at the 25th Shantou (Chenghai) International Toy and Gift Fair, spectators were viewing various toy exhibits.

Stepping into the booth of Shantou Chenghai Qunlong Plastic Products Co., Ltd., a variety of brick products come into view. On the display stand, a floral brick arrangement composed of carnations and daisies catches the attention of buyers. The petals, with their lifelike size, curvature, texture, and color, resemble a cluster of real flowers in full bloom.

"The colors of these flowers are meticulously blended by the company's design team, and the models are original. This product has now become a hit overseas," said Zhuo Yina, manager of Qunlong Company.

Since the establishment of the Shantou Special Economic Zone, Chenghai has attracted a group of local toy manufacturing enterprises, cultivated regional manufacturing brands, and the toy creative industry has become one of the characteristic traditional industries in Shantou. According to statistics, in a certain year, the number of above-scale industrial enterprises in the toy creative industry reached XX, with an above-scale industrial output value of XX billion yuan. From January to October this year, the added value of above-scale industrial enterprises in Shantou's toy industry accounted for XX% of the total above-scale industrial sector.

On the date, the Yingge dance robot products of Guangdong Qunyu Interactive Technology Co., Ltd. attracted a large number of spectators to stop and watch.

"The future is the era of technology, and the rapid development of artificial intelligence requires traditional industries to transform and upgrade by embracing technology," said Chen Ruifeng, President of Guangdong Qunyu Interactive Technology Co., Ltd. At this exhibition, Qunyu Interactive showcased interactive humanoid robot products integrated with artificial intelligence and upgraded its previously released Yingge dance robots with added interaction and somatosensory features.

At the booth of the Wonderful Blocks, international renowned brands such as Ultraman, Sanrio, Marvel superheroes, and local brands like Dunhuang Museum and China Aerospace were showcased together.

Huang Huimin, Public Relations Director of the Wonderful Bricks brand, said that the company adheres to a brand-oriented development path, evolving from a mold factory into a business dedicated to the original creation and manufacturing of brick toys. In recent years, it has also partnered with numerous entities for licensing, charting a high-value, differentiated development route.

"Compared to foreign competitors, we place greater emphasis on exploring cultural elements and themes that are uniquely Chinese. Combined with the quality control throughout our company's research, design, production, and sales chain, we are confident in continuing to create a higher quality brand of building block toys," said Huang Huimin.

Liviu Rosca, a buyer from Romania, can communicate with suppliers in fluent Chinese. The first four Chinese characters he learned were "Made in China," which he saw on the packaging of his childhood toys. He mentioned that the toy industry is developing rapidly, with new styles emerging in China every year, and the technological content is becoming increasingly high.

"Now there are more and more local designs in China, the brands are getting bigger and bigger, and some products are closely related to local culture, which is helpful for children's education. I look forward to helping Chinese brands enter the international market," said Roschka.

According to data from the Shantou Municipal Bureau of Commerce, nearly % of China's plastic toy products are produced in Shantou. Through general trade, cross-border e-commerce, market procurement trade, and other methods, Shantou toys have been exported to many countries and regions around the world. From January to October this year, the export value of toys in Shantou reached . billion yuan, accounting for approximately .% of the city's total export trade during the same period.

Last year, the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee plenary session proposed "adhering to the real economy as the foundation and manufacturing as the core." Traditional industries, through continuous transformation and upgrading, not only "transformed" into new development momentum but also brought greater business opportunities. Currently, Shantou has national high-tech enterprises in toy creativity, provincial specialized and innovative small and medium-sized enterprises, driving the establishment of over ten thousand production service supporting units.