The opening ceremony of the annual event is attended by nearly 3,000 people from home and abroad. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

The 27th China International Advertising Festival (CIAF) was held in Xiamen, East China's Fujian province, on Nov 15.

The opening ceremony of the annual event was attended by nearly 3,000 people from home and abroad, including leaders from the China Advertising Association (CAA) and International Advertising Association (IAA).

Lin Jian, vice-mayor of Xiamen, said at the ceremony that CIAF is the most authoritative and largest event of its kind in China and plays a significant role in promoting the development of the country's advertising industry.

Lin added that Xiamen is well-known in China for its MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) industry and features a beautiful environment, highly developed facilities, and favorable policies.

He welcomed more advertising professionals to start businesses in the city.

Joel Edmund Nettey, chairman of IAA, said via live video that he hopes the festival goes smoothly, also noting that thanks to efforts by CAA, CIAF has grown into a major annual event in China.

Nettey also said that IAA is grateful to have had the chance to cooperate with CIAF for many years already.

Advertising is a good way to measure the strength of an economy, according to Zhang Guohua, chairman of CAA, who said at the opening ceremony that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many renowned advertising festivals around the world failed to be held this year.

The fact that CIAF was held despite this shows that economic and social life in China is returning to normal, and Chinese advertising professionals are confident about China's future economic development, Zhang added.

The four-day advertising festival includes competitions, forums, meetings to promote media outlets, and a 50,000-square-meter exhibition featuring more than 2,000 exhibitors.