Four trade fairs, attracting more than 2,500 exhibitors and offering a wide range of sourcing opportunities in toys and games, baby products, stationery and licensing, opened Monday at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center (HKCEC).

The 36th Toys&Games Fair is the largest event of its kind in Asia and the second-biggest in the world. About 2,000 exhibitors from 38 countries and regions took part in this year's event.

Catering to emerging trends in the industry, the fair featured a testing and certification service zone, offering solutions to guarantee safe and non-toxic toys. A number of seminars on toy- safety will also be organized during the fair.

A spin-off from the toy fair, the Hong Kong Baby Products Fair was held for the first time responding to the growing worldwide demand for baby product and accessories. The event presented over 300 exhibitors from 16 countries and regions.

The Hong Kong International Stationery Fair included more than 240 exhibitors from 10 nations and regions. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the fair introduced a Hong Kong Stationary Award for environmental friendly products and the winners were on display at the venue. Exhibitors of stationery products like pen and pencil, pencil case, paper, notebooks and file folders, water color pens, stationery set, sharpeners, erasers, photo albums, gift bags, modeling clay, plastilina all have high expectation for the show.

Designed to reflect importance of licensing to the toys and games industry, the Hong Kong International Licensing Show drew some 140 exhibitors representing more than 300 properties and brands, including Warner Bros., Dreamworks and Doraemon.

The four combined events were organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. They will last till January 14 except the Licensing show, which will end a day earlier.