KUNMING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- The 2018 China Kunming International Stone Expo will open Tuesday in Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province, organizers said Monday.

Exhibitors from 22 countries and regions including Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Poland and Australia are expected to participate in the eight-day expo.

More than 2,800 booths and eight exhibition halls have been set up in a 65,000 square meter area.

Nearly 50 forums and lectures on jewelry knowledge, the gemstone industry and related advanced technology will also be open to the public during the expo.

Yunnan is among the first areas in China to develop and utilize gemstone resources. As of 2017, the output value of the stone industry in Yunnan has reached nearly 100 billion yuan (15.1 billion U.S. dollars), creating nearly 2 million jobs.