QINGDAO -- China's cotton plantation area is stable this year, said Dai Gongxing, head of the China Cotton Association.

A total of 3.21 million hectares of cotton has been planted this year, Dai said at the 2019 China International Cotton Conference in Qingdao, eastern China's Shandong province.

"The Chinese government has taken a variety of reform measures in recent years to stabilize the output of cotton," Dai said.

China's cotton industry is important in global supply. From 2014 to 2018, the average cotton plantation area in China was 3.33 million hectares, with an average output standing at 5.68 million tonnes, accounting for 23 percent of global output.

Guests from 19 countries and regions are attending the cotton conference, which is set to conclude Friday.