Small fruit, big resilience: How Guilin's monk fruit firms tackle China-U.S. trade challenges

Long favored in the U.S. as a zero-calorie sweetener, monk fruit from Guilin City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, has become a symbol of China's innovation-driven export strength. Local exporters have independently developed advanced monk fruit extraction technology. After six years of research and development, one company secured U.S. FDA certification and now holds over 130 global patents, supported by an expert team spanning 27 countries.

Amid trade turbulence, these companies have avoided price hikes, choosing instead to reduce costs through ongoing technological innovation and by expanding into European and Southeast Asian markets. This tiny fruit is proving to be a big example of how Chinese enterprises are leveraging technology to stay agile in global markets.