Innovative monk fruit company thrives despite trade challenges

Amid turbulence in global trade, a monk fruit company from south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has successfully avoided price hikes by reducing costs with technological innovation, while raising revenue through a global expansion push.

Monk fruit, also known as Swingle fruit, is a small round fruit mainly grown in Yongfu County, in Guilin, where Chinese people have enjoyed the multiple health benefits of this delicious fruit for centuries.

Guilin GFS Monk Fruit Corp, one of the largest of its kind in the world, is an example of how Chinese companies are using technology to stay agile as they expand into global markets.

Monk fruit is becoming ever more popular as a zero-calorie natural sweetener, and is used in many drinks and snacks in the U.S., Europe and Japan.

The company’s president Lan Fusheng said about 85 percent of the company’s global sales last year came from monk fruit exports, and explained to China Global Television Network (CGTN) how the fruit is a symbol of China's innovation-driven export strength.

"We have the same goal. First, understanding each other is important to getting along with clients or the process of developing a business. Another one is how to address the problems and difficulties. For instance, in the case of this trade friction, we should have more discussions to see where our respective advantages lie, and which ones can be shared and solved together," said Lan.

Lan's company has independently developed advanced monk fruit extraction technology., and, after six years of research and development, they have secured certification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The company now holds over 130 global patents, supported by an expert team spanning 27 countries.

"We cultivated the varieties we currently use all by ourselves. We have nearly 130 patents worldwide and 27 experts from all over the world. Wherever a product is to be sold, local experts must be involved. The first product we developed was our monk fruit sweetener. We started the research and development of this product with the U.S. market in mind. We began developing it in 2004 and finally obtained the GRAS (generally recognized as safe) certification from the FDA in 2010, which marked the start of our overseas trade. To be precise, that's when the monk fruit started going out of China," said Lan.

While acknowledging that trade frictions have temporarily posed challenges for Chinese entrepreneurs, Lan says it is both a wake-up call and an opportunity for growth.

"First of all, I think we should have confidence. Whether it's unique resources, technologies or talents, only with these advantages can we have the power to speak and compete. Then I think we should have confidence in our country and our team. Secondly, everyone should recognize this product and need it. That way, they will also hope that this product can continue to serve their market," he said.

Innovative monk fruit company thrives despite trade challenges

China’s transport authorities mobilized rail, road, air and waterway resources on Tuesday, the final day of the five‑day May Day holiday, to manage the peak return flow as passenger volumes surged nationwide.

The national railway system expects 23 million passenger trips on the day, with operators adding 2,225 extra trains and deploying capacity on popular routes and peak hours to handle the return flow from smaller cities to major hubs.

In Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province, 134 trains have been temporarily added for high-demand directions including the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

"Railway return travel peaks today. In light of short stops and high passenger volumes, we have strengthened coordination with intermediate stations and offered guidance to passengers for smooth boarding and alighting to prevent crowding and stampedes," said Ji Yudi, a conductor of China Railway Zhengzhou Group.

Regional operators in Beijing, Chengdu and other cities have also proactively coordinated with local transit authorities to extend bus and subway operating hours, increase nighttime service frequency, and boost taxi and ride-hailing availability to ensure seamless transfers for late-arriving passengers.

With respect to highways, the national highway network is projected to record approximately 61 million vehicle trips on Tuesday. The peak traffic window is between 16:00 and 18:00, with congestion and slow-moving traffic likely around major city entry and exit points, as well as airport expressways in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu.

To ease holiday congestion, traffic police in south China's Guangdong Province have rolled out tidal lanes and flow control measures at 24 key highway sections in nine cities.

"Using a highway interconnect system, we have conducted remote flow diversion. During this morning's peak return period, traffic efficiency on the Erenhot-Guangzhou Expressway improved significantly, showing no sign of congestion," said Dai Zhouwu, a local traffic police officer.

By water, an estimated 1.035 million passenger trips are expected to be made across the country on Tuesday, marking a 1.4-percent increase year on year.

To ensure smooth strait crossing from south China's Hainan Province, the maritime authorities in Zhanjiang City, south China's Guangdong Province have urged operators to supplement fixed sailings with extra voyages and optimized crew rotations to meet surging vessel demand.

Meanwhile, China's civil aviation sector is projected to carry 2.3 million passengers on Tuesday.

The Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, one of the country's busiest airports in southwest China's Sichuan Province, are offering free luggage pick-up and delivering services to passengers arriving from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.

China’s transport network braces for record May Day return traffic