NPC Deputy Xia Hua: Revitalizing tradition through culture and AI

For more than two decades, Xia Hua, a deputy to the National People's Congress and chairwoman of Chinese brand EVE Group, has focused on preserving ethnic craftsmanship and bringing Chinese traditional aesthetics to the global stage.

Over the past year, Xia and her team traveled thousands of kilometers to visit dozens of villages across China. During field research, she found that many traditional artisans face common challenges: strong craftsmanship but limited market access and a lack of modern skills. In response, her team launched order-based training programs, providing tailored instruction directly in villages. In 2025 alone, 28 training sessions were held across rural communities, helping train more than 4,000 new artisans and bringing the number of craftspeople to over 100,000.

At this year's Two Sessions, Xia proposes to promote deeper integration between AI technologies and traditional craftsmanship. She believes that digital technologies and international promotion can help ethnic handicrafts reach broader markets and connect with global fashion. (Photos via China.org.cn)