In an interview on October 9, Wu Zhiqiang, a standing committee member of the Guilin City Political Consultative Conference and chairman of Guilin Hengbao Health Protection Co., Ltd. (Hengbao Protection), shared his vision for establishing a nuclear radiation protection manufacturing base in Guilin. “This proposal has garnered significant attention from both the Guangxi and Guilin Political Consultative Conferences. It impacts the entire rubber industry and played a pivotal role in the creation of the China-ASEAN Rubber Industry Cooperation Park,” he noted.
Recently, I had the opportunity to visit several companies in Guilin to gain insight into the roles of Political Consultative Conference members at various levels, as well as the development of local industries. Hengbao Protection focuses on producing medical gloves and specialized protective gloves, operating 20 production lines for surgical gloves that together produce over 400 million pairs each year.
Wu highlighted the strategic importance of rubber. “As the world’s largest consumer of natural rubber, China has long been heavily dependent on imports for specialty rubber products, such as nuclear radiation protection gloves. However, in 2022, we overcame technical obstacles and successfully developed our own nuclear radiation protection gloves,” he explained.
He went on to discuss challenges within the domestic rubber industry, pointing out that technology has not yet reached a level suitable for industrial application. “I compiled relevant background information and put together a proposal titled ‘Proposal for the Establishment of the China-ASEAN Rubber Industry Cooperation Zone.’ This initiative aims to plan the construction of the cooperation zone, support the R&D of nuclear radiation-proof latex products, innovate and effectively utilize high-quality natural rubber resources, and strengthen collaboration with ASEAN countries. I also recommended enhancements to the quality inspection and testing systems for rubber products,” Wu elaborated, expressing his commitment to closely monitor the project’s progress to ensure its effective and timely advancement.
Entrepreneurs like Wu are not only passionate about their businesses but also take their roles as committee members seriously. Another exemplary figure is Lan Feisi, the vice president of Guilin Jifusi Luohan Fruit Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (Jifusi). While leading the company’s expansion, Lan remains dedicated to rural revitalization.
Based in the Yanqing District of Guilin, Jifusi is a comprehensive enterprise in the Luohan fruit industry. Lan detailed that Jifusi operates eight wholly-owned subsidiaries and branches in China, the United States, and New Zealand. The company possesses a breeding center capable of producing 10 million healthy Luohan fruit seedlings annually, as well as a 60,000 square meter facility housing deep processing production lines. It stands out as the world’s largest specialized processing enterprise for Luohan fruit, maintaining a leading position in exports and market share for 13 consecutive years, and accounting for half of the global market over the past five years.
For many years, Jifusi has adhered to a sustainable model characterized by “company + base + cooperative + farmers,” offering minimum protection prices for contracted farmers. To protect these farmers’ rights, the company has organized specialized teams to oversee the procurement of Luohan fruit and adjusted payment processes to ensure that contracted farmers receive their payments promptly and in full.
“Looking ahead, I am committed to driving innovation in the Luohan fruit industry’s development model and technological upgrades. My goal is to establish a robust international and domestic standard system for Luohan fruit and create a globally recognized brand. Additionally, I will continue to contribute to the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas by innovating planting techniques and training, aiming to enhance farmers’ planting efficiency and boost their income,” Lan stated.
Lipu City in Guilin is renowned as the world’s largest exporter of wooden hangers. Recently, the hanger industry in Lipu has faced challenges as it seeks to transition. During this period, members of the Guilin Political Consultative Conference have engaged in thorough research and actively provided insights to accelerate quality upgrades in the industry.
Hua Hai Home Products Co., Ltd., a prominent company in Guilin, primarily manufactures wooden, metal, and plastic hangers, as well as bamboo and wooden daily goods and home products. A significant portion of their business comes from foreign trade, with exports generating $29.8 million in 2023, which is 25% of national hanger exports.
In recent years, the company established the Hua Hai Laboratory to concentrate on the R&D of home products while exploring intelligent manufacturing. “We aim to share our findings with the industry to enhance overall production efficiency and drive quality improvements across the sector,” said Cai Gaoxu, a standing committee member of the Lipu City Political Consultative Conference and general manager of Hua Hai Home Products. He aims to play an active role in initiatives designed to create convenient channels for domestic and international market circulation while guiding the company in exploring new trade models.
