The glassware industrial cluster of Qixian county in North China's Shanxi province was recently included onto the 2022 list of characteristic small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) industrial clusters, announced the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. 

It's the only characteristic SME industrial cluster from Shanxi on the list. 

The ministry first began identifying characteristic SME industrial clusters in September 2022 to promote high-quality cluster development and the specialization of SMEs. 

From handicraft workshops in the early 19th century to the current industrial production, the glassware industry in Qixian county has transformed over centuries and earned its title of the "Glassware Capital of China". 

In recent years, Qixian has supported the development of the glassware industry. Qixian Glassware Industrial Park has attracted 50 production enterprises, and employs over 20,000 people. 

It has an annual output of more than 200,000 metric tons of glassware and an output value of 2.3 billion yuan ($339.35 million). The park's products are exported to more than 80 countries and regions.