The 40th Weifang International Kite Festival opens on April 15. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 40th Weifang International Kite Festival and 19th World Kite Championship kicked off on April 15 in Weifang, East China's Shandong province. 

More than 600 kite enthusiasts from 59 countries and regions, including the United States, Russia, Germany, Vietnam, and Canada, attended the event.

Known as the "capital of kites", Weifang has a long history of kite making, with some records suggesting the first wooden kite was invented there during the Spring and Autumn period more than 2,400 years ago. The city boasts a thriving kite industry, employing more than 80,000 people in its 600-plus companies involved in the manufacturing and sale of kites.

Kites in various shapes and sizes are seen at the festival. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] 

The coruscating festival, featuring an array of kites in various shapes and sizes, has become one of the most iconic international events held in China since the country initiated reform and opening up in the late 1970s.

Running from April 15 to May 20, the ongoing 40th Weifang International Kite Festival features a hybrid of online and offline events, including a range of activities like lantern and firework shows, musical performances, food fairs serving local delicacies, as well as a series of kite-flying competitions featuring participants from around the world testing their skills and showing off the creativity behind their colorful kite displays.

At the opening ceremony of the event, Liu Beijian, vice chairman of the International Kite Club and chairman of the China Kite Association, said that after 40 years of ups and downs, kites have become the most valuable, representative, and influential city brand in Weifang. As the "Kite Capital", Weifang has built a good bridge between China and other countries around the world, he added.

A tourist dressed in hanfu (traditional Han costume) poses for a photo with a kite. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] 

Liu Yun, Party secretary of the city, said in his speech that the Weifang International Kite Festival has developed into an event that spreads friendship, serving as a bridge to the world, as well as a platform for economic and trade cooperation in the past 40 years.

Over the past four decades, Weifang has bolstered its presence on the international stage through the kite event. It has established economic and trade relations with 218 countries and regions. In 2022, its import and export volume exceeded 340 billion yuan($49.5 billion), while its actual use of foreign investment was $1.3 billion.