About 60 percent of the world's spectacles are made in Shenzhen, industry experts said during the 2007 China International Optics Fair, which opened in the city Friday.

Shenzhen has nearly 500 eyeglass manufacturers, producing 200 million pairs of spectacles annually. (Xinhua Photo)

Shenzhen has nearly 500 eyeglass manufacturers, producing 200 million pairs of spectacles annually, according to a Shenzhen Economic Daily report Saturday. Of the total, 95 percent are exported to more than 130 countries, making up 70 percent of the European market.

Hong Kong exports 75 percent of the world's eyeglasses with 70 percent of these made in Shenzhen. Shenzhen manufacturers also make spectacles for well-known brands like Gucci and Christian Dior. In recent years, however, some manufacturers have started making eyeglasses under their own brands.

Shenzhen is building an industrial park for spectacle manufacturers in Henggang, Longgang District, where there are more than 300 optical manufacturers with a total annual turnover of 13 billion yuan (US$1.75 billion).

The three-day fair, jointly sponsored by the local government and trade associations, has attracted more than 800 buyers from some 40 countries and regions.