A young Uzbek entrepreneur has built a thriving export business in Yiwu, east China's global small commodities hub, shipping solar tech and daily goods across borders.
His monthly orders now exceed several hundred thousand yuan, driven by the city's booming cross-border e-commerce scene and a sharp eye for market demand.
Feilong, as he's known in Chinese, primarily exports high-quality Chinese products to Uzbekistan. Drawn by a passion for computers and a vision of China's market potential, he arrived in 2017 as a student. After graduation, he quickly spotted an opening in the e-commerce sector and chose Yiwu as his launchpad.
"I believe Yiwu is the best place in the world to do business, which is why I chose to be here. Since then, I gradually learned how to source products, where to find affordable goods, and how to seek out customers, marking the beginning of my e-commerce journey," he said.
Initially focused on mobile phones, Feilong quickly spotted rising demand in Uzbekistan for solar products and everyday goods. He pivoted to meet the market, expanding into clothing, lithium batteries, and other categories, fueling rapid growth in his business. Currently, monthly orders for solar inverters alone exceed 100,000 yuan (over 14,000 U.S. dollars).
"He is the first customer from Uzbekistan in our store. Starting this year, his sales volume has gradually increased, and he now places orders of around several hundred thousand yuan each month," said Wang Li, a business operator in Yiwu's international trade market.
In just three short years, he has built his own small team and set up warehouses in cities such as Yiwu, Guangzhou, and Urumqi. He has also established long-term partnerships with local suppliers and logistics providers.
"From Yiwu to our country, delivery takes about 10 days at the fastest, and around 12 to 15 days at the slowest. Once the goods arrive, customers can pick them up immediately and have them transported directly to Tashkent, the capital of our country," he said.
In Yiwu, the cross-border e-commerce community from SCO countries is rapidly expanding. These entrepreneurs not only export high-quality Chinese products but also bring distinctive goods from their home countries into the Chinese market, enriching trade on both sides.
"Currently, we send Chinese products to our country, and in the future, we also hope to bring unique products from our country to China," he said.
Uzbek entrepreneur rides Yiwu's e-commerce wave to build thriving business
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
