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East China's Gaoqiao town is successful example of specialized industry hub

2025-01-27 21:05:44Ecns.cn Editor : Gong Weiwei ECNS App Download

(ECNS) -- Gaoqiao Town, located in east China's Jiangsu Province, is home to nearly 400 snow boot manufacturers and more than 800 e-commerce businesses, generating an annual output value of over 2.2 billion yuan ($300 million).

Each year, the town exports more than 15 million pairs of snow boots are shipped from here, with nearly half of the products exported to over ten countries and regions.

Photo shows the scene of selling snow boots via live streaming. (Photo/Zhenjiangfabu)
Photo shows the scene of selling snow boots via live streaming. (Photo/Zhenjiangfabu)

Snow boots have made Gaoqiao Town renowned across China. But how did this snowless town earn the title "hometown of Chinese snow boots"?

Since Chian’s reform and opening-up, the rapid advancement of industrialization has led to the development of numerous towns focused on distinct industries. Gaoqiao is a shining example, standing out for its thriving snow boot sector, said He Jianhua, a researcher at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.

The growth of Gaoqiao’s snow boot industry can be largely attributed to its strong industrial foundation and strategic geographical location, said Zhang Chunlong, director at the Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Social Sciences.

Zhang highlighted that the town’s early success in the leather shoe industry created skilled workforce and laid a solid foundation for the snow boot sector. Furthermore, a combination of government support, guidance from local business associations, and proactive enterprise participation have driven the industry’s rapid development.

Over the past two years, live-streaming e-commerce has played a key role in expanding Gaoqiao’s snow boot market. In 2023 alone, the town's online snow boot sales reached approximately 900 million yuan, with live-streaming influencers selling over 20,000 pairs on peak days.

In March 2024, China's Ministry of Commerce and eight other government departments introduced new policies to establish county-level live-streaming e-commerce bases and multi-level rural e-commerce service platforms. This initiative has created fresh opportunities for Gaoqiao's boot industry to thrive.

In late October 2024, Gaoqiao held a special promotional event in Harbin, showcasing its snow boot products and fostering cooperations between local enterprises and trade partners in northeast China and international markets.

Zhang emphasized that, for Gaoqiao to remain competitive in the evolving market, innovation is key.

The town should focus on enhancing production efficiency, improving product quality, and meeting diverse consumer demands.

Strengthening branding will also be critical. Additionally, expanding partnerships in e-commerce will help diversify sales channels, while fostering a business-friendly environment will attract resources and talent to support long-term growth.

Today, Gaoqiao‘s snow boot industry has evolved into a comprehensive industrial chain that includes raw material sales, manufacturing, online retail, and logistics. The sector employs over 8,300 people, generating an annual output value of approximately 2.2 billion yuan.

Currently, China’s ice and snow economy is experiencing strong growth.

Reports indicate that the sector has grown from 2.7 trillion yuan in 2015 to 9.7 trillion yuan in 2024, with projections reaching 10.053 trillion yuan in 2025.

Wan Chenghui, Party secretary of Gaoqiao Town, shared plans to establish a snow boot industry development center. This project will include a snow boot exhibition center, a trade hub, and a cultural museum, further promoting industrial clustering.

At the same time, Gaoqiao plans to collaborate with universities to develop an industry-academia-research base, host a snow boot cultural festival, and integrate snow boot commerce with tourism, and modern industrial sightseeing. These initiatives aim to enhance Gaoqiao’s reputation as the "hometown of Chinese snow boots" and further strengthen its influence in the industry.

 
 

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