The jewelry industry in Yunnan Province in southwest China has developed into a key industrial sector with an annual output value of 5 billion yuan (US$602 million), an official said Sunday.

Yunnan, rich in precious stone resources, is one of the country's five major jewelry producers. The province is home to more than 600 companies dealing in precious stones, more than 2,500 jewelry enterprises, and more than 3,000 gem-processing plants.

A number of gem and jewelry trade centers have taken shape in Kunming, capital of the province, Tengchong, Ruili, Yingjiang and other cities.

(Xinhua News Agency January 5, 2004)