Resilient and ready: how Chinese exporters are navigating global shifts

By Yu Sinan, Fu Wen, People’s Daily
Jinjiang, a manufacturing hub for clothing and footwear in southeast China’s Fujian province, boasts production lines of varied brands. As one of China’s major export hubs, the city embodies the bold, entrepreneurial spirit that underpins local businesses and a deep-seated confidence in the resilience of the Chinese economy.
Renowned as “China’s shoe capital,” Jinjiang is home to SinceTech, a key player in the footwear supply chain. Specializing in shoe uppers, the company is a supplier to many well-known international sneaker brands.
Inside the company’s intelligent flyknit workshop, nearly 2,000 computerized flat knitting machines hum in unison, operating at full capacity.
According to Xu Jianfei, deputy head of the president’s office at SinceTech, current global trade headwinds have had limited impact on the company. While some effects may emerge in the second or third quarter, he expressed confidence in the company’s ability to adapt and respond.
That confidence comes from the company’s sustained commitment to innovation. Over the years, SinceTech has invested around 4 percent of its annual revenue into R&D and employed more than 500 R&D staff.
“Making a high-quality shoe upper is no longer just a labor-intensive task,” said Xu. “Through innovations like flyknit technology, we’ve digitized production. A single click on the computer sends weaving instructions to the machine, and one worker can now oversee ten machines at once.”
Today, SinceTech has moved beyond traditional contract manufacturing to become deeply involved in product development for its clients, serving an integral part of the industrial and innovation chains. This end-to-end capability has helped cement long-term partnerships and strengthen customer loyalty.
“We’re constantly rolling out new designs,” Xu added. “Our overseas clients often joke that if they don’t check in regularly, they might miss something new.”
In Yinglin township of Jinjiang, covering less than 30 square kilometers, the local swimwear industry is booming. With over 200 companies producing swimsuits and beachwear, Jinjiang Qicaihu Garments Weaving Co., Ltd. stands out for its ability to rapidly expand its international footprint.
Seven or eight years ago, the company began breaking into European and South American markets. Today, around 55 percent of its orders come from Europe, up from 30 percent, while 25 percent are from South America.
In recent years, orders have risen sharply, bolstered by high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. In 2024, the company delivered 33 million pieces and achieved a 12 percent increase in revenue.
Swimwear orders are highly seasonal. Xu Yongzhu, the company’s deputy general manager, explained that U.S. orders placed last year were fulfilled by early April this year. While future orders may be affected, the company anticipates offsetting the downturn through increased demand from other markets.
Asked how the company sustains growth amid uncertainty, Xu offered a telling anecdote. In 2016, a potential buyer from Egypt came to explore fabric procurement. After touring Qicaihu’s fully integrated production facilities, he decided to build a factory in Egypt – with Qicaihu supplying weaving and printing equipment, raw materials, accessories, and technical guidance. That cooperation model has expanded to Vietnam, the Philippines, and Kenya.
Qicaihu is currently involved in every aspect of the swimwear supply chain, from raw material sourcing and design to production. Beyond exporting finished products, it now exports the entire supply chain.
“Swimwear production always circles back to Yinglin township,” Xu said. “While individual businesses may relocate, the industrial chain is much harder to move. That’s what gives us resilience in the face of external shocks.”
That logic holds true in Dongshi township – known as “China’s Umbrella Town,” producing one in every four umbrellas worldwide. At Fujian Yoana Umbrella Technology Co., Ltd., general manager Wang Xiangpeng introduced the company’s catalog: umbrellas in every imaginable color, fabric, and style – many with new functions.
Wang pointed to the massive Chinese domestic market as the foundation of the company’s confidence to innovate – a competitive advantage hard to replicate elsewhere.
He offered a practical example: Creating a new mold might cost 100,000 yuan ($13,724). If the initial order is just 10,000 umbrellas, that adds 10 yuan to each unit – a steep premium. But with a larger order of 300,000 umbrellas, the added cost drops to just 0.3 yuan per umbrella, well within the range consumers are willing to pay for better quality.
Thanks to the scale of both Chinese and international markets, the company has evolved from contract manufacturing to independent R&D, design, and branding. “When the product quality is high, clients don’t haggle over prices,” Wang said. Today, the company’s umbrellas are sold in over 80 countries across Europe, South America, and Africa.
As for the uncertainties clouding the global market, Wang remains optimistic. “Good products always find a market,” he said. “By embracing changes and staying proactive, new opportunities – and new markets – will continue to emerge.”