County grows into industrial 'treasure trove'
Business-friendly policies, well-trained workforce lead to rapid development
When asked why she had chosen to establish a ski equipment and apparel company in Fujian, a southern province of China, Liu Yushan explained half-jokingly: "People from Harbin, the capital of snowy Heilongjiang province, like to buy houses in Sanya, Hainan province, and enjoy vacations in the tropical climate. Similarly, people from southern regions who haven't had much exposure to snow have a strong longing for it."
Liu's company, Vector, consistently ranks in the top two in the ski-and-surf equipment category of online shopping platform Tmall and is the leading domestic brand in the field.
After gaining her master's degree in economics and management at the University of the Arts London, Liu returned home to start a business in 2015 in Minhou county, Fuzhou, Fujian province.
"Minhou may be small and not close to major urban areas," she said on her choice of location. "However, its core competitive advantage lies in its supply chain and industrial chain. Here, we have gathered numerous companies that were once engaged in original equipment manufacturing for well-known outdoor brands. All of my products rely heavily on the foundation provided by this industrial chain."
Liu said recruiting talent to work in Minhou was easy.
"During recruitment we saw an increasing number of outstanding graduates," she said.
"The policies Minhou has promoted, such as encouraging individuals to settle here, have greatly helped our entire recruitment process. They include subsidies for talent-development funds.
"Personally, I was honored with the '100 Talents of Fujian' title and associated benefits in 2020," she added.
In the 1990s, President Xi Jinping, then secretary of the Communist Party of China Fuzhou Municipal Committee, emphasized the need for Minhou to create new advantages and strive for greater achievements. "Minhou county has many obvious real advantages and significant potential advantages," he said.
