"The biomaterial industry is becoming a pillar of the world economy," said Zhang Xindong, chairman of the Chinese Biomaterial Committee in the ninth World Biomaterial Congress that opened on June 1 in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province.

Over 3,000 scholars, experts and scientists from 57 countries and regions around the world gathered to exchange the latest achievements and discoveries in the field of biomaterials and probe into its future development.

As high-tech new material has developed over the past 40 years, biomaterials are used to repair, replace or augment human tissues or organs.

The biomaterial industry is a typically high-tech new industry that creates high values at a low cost of raw materials, energy and environmental pollution. Take vascular stents for example, it supports the vessel from inside and avoids angiemphraxis. It weighs only 10 milligram but sells for over 10,000 yuan ($1,579).

The industry has been growing at a surprisingly fast speed. It had a market of 20 billion dollars internationally in 2000, and the number had changed into 150 billion last year. The growth rate in the United States keeps around 7 percent, while the figure in China is 30 percent.

"I believe there will be a growth spurt in the industry of biomaterials," said Zhang.