Qinghai's Economic Gems: High-End Carpets and Premium Yak Meat for Global Markets

From May 17 to 24, a Hong Kong media delegation visited Qinghai Province to see the region's development vitality firsthand. On the first day of the tour (May 17), the itinerary included Ta'er Temple and several enterprises in the Nanchuan Industrial Park of the Xining Economic and Technological Development Zone, among them Shengyuan Carpet Group and Qinghai Kekexili Food Co., Ltd.

The carpets produced by Shengyuan Carpet Group, Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Shengyuan Carpet Group: Weaving a Global Presence

Established in 2007, Shengyuan Carpet Group specializes in high-end commercial carpet production. Its products have long been adopted by internationally renowned hotels and entertainment venues, including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Wynn, and City of Dreams.

Mr. Wang Shudong, CEO of Shengyuan Carpet Group, Photo by Bastille Post

CEO Mr. Wang Shudong said the group's factory is equipped with 10 Axminster looms and a complete industrial chain. Approximately 70% of its output is exported, reaching markets in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, as well as Hong Kong and Macau. Hotels, casinos, and cruise lines are its main clients. The United States is the group's largest export market, followed by Canada and Italy, with casino clients in Macau alone accounting for more than 60% of sales.

The diligent workers of Shengyuan Carpet Group, Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Wang revealed that the current annual carpet production stands at 800,000 square metres. The group is targeting 850,000 square metres this year, with a longer-term goal of exceeding one million square metres. Nowadays, the group has also integrated AI technology into carpet design, reducing the design cycle from ten days to under a week, reaching an efficiency gain of approximately 30%, with the potential for a nearly 50% increase in the future.

The diligent workers of Shengyuan Carpet Group, Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

In recent years, the group has set its sights on expanding into the Hong Kong market. Mr. Wang noted that the brand first entered Hong Kong in 2008, supplying products mainly to the tourism industry, with five-star hotels as key clients. "We already have a certain market share in Hong Kong, and we believe demand for carpet products will continue to grow," he said.

The diligent workers of Shengyuan Carpet Group, Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

Photo by Bastille Post

The factory currently employs around 400 people, mostly local ethnic minorities and herders, providing multiple job opportunities. Ms. Li, who has worked at the factory for four years trimming carpet fibres, said she was previously unemployed and stayed home to care for her children. Now with a job, she can earn money to support her family. "The factory is close to my home, so it's convenient to look after my children. I'm also interested in carpets myself. Every household needs carpets, so this job feels meaningful," she said.

Ms. Li, Photo by Bastille Post

Ms. Zhang, another employee responsible for trimming loose threads, has been with the group for more than three years. She said that once she became skilled, she could complete the process in about a week. "I live nearby, which makes it easy to take care of my elderly parents and my children. I wasn't working before, but now that my children are in school, I have more time to devote to my job," she added.

Ms. Zhang, Photo by Bastille Post

The carpets produced by Shengyuan Carpet Group, Photo by Bastille Post

Kekexili Food Corporation: Bringing Qinghai's Yak Meat to the World

Mr. Ma Wei, project manager for yak meat deep processing and product innovation at Qinghai Kekexili Food Co., Ltd., said the corporation operates under a "farmer + cooperative + enterprise" mode. All yaks are sourced from local farmers and herders and purchased at a premium of one to two RMB per kilogram above the market price. The corporation currently works with 27 cooperatives, involving more than 30,000 residents from farming and herding families. This approach not only generates income for local households, but also ensures stable raw material quality.

Mr. Ma Wei, project manager for yak meat deep processing and product innovation at Qinghai Kekexili Food Co., Ltd., Photo by Bastille Post

The research and development center of Qinghai Kekexili Food Co., Ltd., Photo by Bastille Post

The corporation's factory has an annual production capacity of 7,000 tonnes but is currently operating at only one-third of that level, with storage capacity ranging between 2,000 and 2,500 tonnes.

The yak meat products developed by Qinghai Kekexili Food Co., Ltd., Photo by Bastille Post

The yak meat products developed by Qinghai Kekexili Food Co., Ltd., Photo by Bastille Post

Mr. Ma also noted that the corporation has previously cooperated with Hong Kong. On one occasion, they organised a Qinghai family banquet featuring a full yak feast, releasing more than 300 yak-based dishes. In his view, the Hong Kong market is quite active. "Qinghai has no shortage of good resources. In fact, Qinghai is a place full of treasures. I believe that through greater economic and trade cooperation in the future, Qinghai's quality products will find their way onto more people's dinner tables," he said.

The yak meat products developed by Qinghai Kekexili Food Co., Ltd., Photo by Bastille Post

The yak meat products developed by Qinghai Kekexili Food Co., Ltd., Photo by Bastille Post

The yak meat products developed by Qinghai Kekexili Food Co., Ltd., Photo by Bastille Post

BEIJING (AP) — The collapse of an under-construction railway bridge over a major river in China has killed at least 12 workers and left four others missing, state media reports said.

Aerial photos from the official Xinhua News Agency show a large section missing from the bridge's curved aquamarine arch. A bent section of the bridge deck hangs downward into the Yellow River below.

Sixteen workers were on the bridge in northwest China's Qinghai province when a steel cable snapped about 3 a.m. Friday during a tensioning operation, Xinhua said. Boats, a helicopter and robots were being used in the search for the missing.

The bridge is 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) long and its deck is 55 meters (180 feet) above the surface of the river below, the English-language China Daily newspaper said.

This aerial photo released by Xinhua News Agency shows the site of an under construction bridge that collapsed on the Qinghai section of the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway causing multiple dead and missing, in northwest China's Qinghai Province on Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. (Li Zhanyi/Xinhua via AP)

This aerial photo released by Xinhua News Agency shows the site of an under construction bridge that collapsed on the Qinghai section of the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway causing multiple dead and missing, in northwest China's Qinghai Province on Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. (Li Zhanyi/Xinhua via AP)