The flower industries in south China's Guangdong Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region are ushering in a peak sales season of the year thanks to a Mother's Day surge.
Retail and wholesale florists in both Guangdong and Guangxi saw significant increases in sales on Sunday -- the Mother's Day, which is seen as the start of a peak season for the flower business.
In the tech hub of Shenzhen in Guangdong, carnations, roses and Chinese peonies are the most popular among customers this year, and many local florists saw a boost to their transactions from the large shopping crowds.
"Sales here have been three to five times of that on an ordinary day. We have done all the work to make bouquets in advance. We expect 150 to 300 orders [today]," said Chen Qi, manager of a flower shop in the city's Nanshan District.
Zhou Yingqin, a wholesaler, said pink flowers are in hot demand particularly so far this year and the prices of many varieties have surged as a result.
"Flower prices will basically stay where they are throughout May because of the back-to-back holidays -- the Mother's Day and the May 20 Day (a romantic day seen by couples in China). I expect the demand to exceed supply," said Zhou, who is also in Nanshan District.
As May 12 also marks the International Nurses Day, various flower wholesale markets in Nanning, the regional capital of Guangxi, were bustling with activity as demand for fresh-cut flowers soared. And as in Guangdong, the prices of carnations and Chinese peonies in the city have also surged.
"Because of the coincidence of the Mother's Day and the International Nurses Day, sales are bound to surge, tripling or even quadrupling. We expect to sell hundreds of, even 1,000 bouquets [today]," said a local flower shop manager surnamed Tang.
Another said her shop offers a wider selection of flower arrangements this year, given the increasing demand.
"There has been a 10-percent increase in orders so far this year compared with previous years. Purple and pink flowers are very popular this year," she said.
Mother's Day surge drives flower industry boom in south China
A new China Global Television Network (CGTN) documentary explores how the historic Long March spirit is driving modern innovation, as young Chinese researchers and engineers are channeling this relentless drive to overcome critical bottlenecks in the EV and AI industries.
Titled "The Source of AI: Not a Single Rock Goes to Waste", the documentary highlights the pioneering journeys of Zhong Yu and He Pengyu.
Two years ago, Zhong made a pivotal career shift, leaving a long-established automaker to return to China and join Farasis Energy, a homegrown battery manufacturer based in Ganzhou City of east China's Jiangxi Province.
Working around the clock, Zhong and his team are developing solid-state batteries. This next-generation technology promises higher energy density and enhanced safety, having the potential to completely disrupt the current automotive landscape.
Through his research, Zhong is determined to establish China as a global leader in the battery sector.
While Zhong focuses on the power sources of the future, He Pengyu is tackling the foundational raw materials required for the EV and AI boom.
The rapid expansion of these sectors has triggered a massive surge in demand for copper and rare earth elements. However, extracting and separating these valuable minerals from raw ore has long been a formidable technical hurdle.
Without advanced equipment, China's mining industry once relied on grueling, inefficient manual sorting.
Determined to change this paradigm after returning from his studies in France, He founded HPY Sorting. The company has developed a revolutionary AI-driven optical ore sorting system capable of automatically separating waste rock from valuable ore.
Processing up to 300 tons of ore per hour, this intelligent sorting technology is now deployed in mines across the world, replacing tasks that once relied on human experience with precision-driven algorithms and automated machinery.
He Pengyu hopes that through his innovation, not a single rock goes to waste.
The documentary is part of CGTN's "Breaking Through" series, which traces China's journey from the historic Long March undertaken by the Red Army nine decades ago to its modern-day achievements, highlighting the resilience, ingenuity, and determination of its people.
Long March spirit drives critical breakthroughs in China's EV, AI industries: documentary
