Editor's note: This report focuses on Quanzhou as part of our special series, "Rising Star Cities," about Chinese cities whose annual GDP exceeds 1 trillion yuan ($155 billion). At the end of 2021, there were 24 such cities. Click here for more stories on Quanzhou, an ancient trading hub known for its cultural diversity. You can also explore our earlier coverage of Ningbo, Changsha and Chongqing. 

Over the past decade, private enterprises have been a driving force for economic development in the city of Quanzhou, Fujian Province in southeast China. It boasts a batch of known nationwide enterprises, including Xtep, Erke, Septwolves, and Panpan. Among them, Anta Sports is not only a successful private business in China but also a world-leading sports brand.

It took Anta 30 years to emerge from a small workshop to a big sports brand with over 2,600 patents. Technological innovation has been the key to success for the company in becoming a world leader in the sportswear market. As early as 2005, it established a national-level enterprise technology center called Anta Sports Science Laboratory. In its modern factory, advanced technologies like real-time progress monitoring systems are widely used. Lydia Zhu, the chief marketing officer, told CGTN Anta plans to invest over 20 billion yuan ($2.97 billion) in innovation and research by 2030. She said, "Anta Sports is determined to pursue innovation."

Sportswear companies must react quickly to changing trends. As skateboarding and ultimate frisbee have become popular among young people, Zhu said Anta Sports planned to develop related products to draw more people into these sports.

Anta is headquartered in Jinjiang, a small county-level city under the jurisdiction of Quanzhou. Known as the "Shoe Capital of China," Jinjiang is home to over 152 shoe-making enterprises, including 361°, Anta, X-Step, and Peak, and Delhui. Last year, their overall output value hit 147.7 billion yuan ($22 billion).

All these private enterprises aim to innovate in recyclable and degradable raw materials to promote the sustainable development of the industry and meet China's carbon neutrality goal in the long run. They are vital to forging a solid foundation for the future growth of Quanzhou city. 

(Cover via CFP)