China Arts and Crafts Association (CACA) is a national non-profit organization established in 1988 to support the effective protection of Chinese traditional arts and crafts, and to facilitate the thriving of the crafts industry in China. It is officially registered as a national association by the China Ministry of Civil Affairs and serves as a bridge between the government and China arts and crafts industry. Mr. Li Tieying, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, accepted the post of honorary chairman of China Arts and Crafts Association in 2004.
　　CACA has 1800 member associations and enterprises throughout China. It also runs eight professional committees, namely jewelry, carpet, lacquer work, jade product, botanical drawing, ivory, embroidery and special craftwork committees and two branch associations, China Arts and Crafts Masters Branch and Foreign Trade Branch.
The association has formed an effective network with provincial and city arts and crafts bodies in China. With their cooperation, CACA gives instructions to guarantee the healthy development of the entire industry, and to solve the problems it faces.
　　China Arts and Crafts Association is eager to strengthen its connection with foreign organizations, and to make joint efforts in promoting the development of world crafts and arts culture.

Major Duties
•Set up the Protection Regulations of the Traditional Arts and Crafts, which has laid the legal foundation for the protection of traditional Chinese arts and crafts and development of the entire industry.
•Serving as coordinator for the selection of National Masters of Arts and Crafts of China. 365 masters have been honored with the title.
•Providing marketing opportunities for the industry and organizing various exhibitions and trade fairs to showcase works or products of artists, designers, and manufacturers. Every year, CACA organizes three national expos and one conference on Chinese arts and crafts.
•Organizing juried competitions among artists with award for different categories of craftworks.
•Organizing the evaluation and awarding of regions featured with particular craftwork, so as to promote the development of the regional economy.
•Conducting research on the current development status and future trends of the industry. CACA is currently carrying out research projects such as a Census of China Crafts Industry and Compilation of the Encyclopedia of China Arts and Crafts.

International Programmes
•Representing China in international organizations and conducting international exchanges with foreign countries.
•Cooperation with the World Crafts Council
CACA is a member of the World Crafts Council (WCC) and vice chair country of the WCC in the Asian-Pacific region. In September 1997, CACA co-organized the 21st Annual Meeting of the Asian-Pacific Region of the WCC. The association is currently applying to hold the 2008 World Crafts Council Assembly.
•Cooperation with UNESCO
CACA now serves as the organizer of the “UNESCO SEAL of Excellence for Handicrafts Products Programme” in China.
• In October, 2006, CACA collected more than a hundred top-quality arts and crafts products to participate in the “2006 South Africa Experiences China” cultural exchange activity.