Foshan, China's furniture capital in the southern province of Guangdong, is winning overseas customers with smart technology and distinctive original designs, leveraging the city's industrial chain integrating production and sales.
In Longjiang Township of the city, home to more than 2,000 branded furniture manufacturers and over 5,000 new material suppliers for the sector, overseas commodity buyers are increasingly turning to Chinese smart furniture, noting that the products bring a sense of technology into everyday living.
"The blend of electronic with the furniture is something that I'm looking for, like the moving chairs, the recliners, electronic recliners, sofas -- these are something which are unique," said a Bangladeshi buyer.
For others, the draw of the city is high volume for good value.
"We are in the process of buying the flooring, the timber flooring from China, so we buy lots of building materials," said an Australian buyer.
Many furniture designers in Foshan have also introduced original furniture series that blend Chinese and Western cultural elements, incorporating rich cultural meaning into exquisite Chinese craftsmanship. These products have become favorites among some segments of the overseas market.
"Arabs are actually very keen on buying original products, and the furniture here is very popular with them," said a buyer from the Middle East.
"Original products are particularly popular, and sales growth in overseas markets has been especially strong -- not only among international buyers, but also through cross-border e-commerce. Our original products account for about 35 percent of total furniture exports and represent an increase of 15 percent year on year," said Tan Guangyong, executive chairman of the Shunde Furniture Association in Foshan.
The city's furniture exports totaled 11.77 billion yuan (about 1.75 billion U.S. dollars) in the first seven months of this year, up 10.7 percent year on year, according to Foshan Customs.
Foshan's furniture draws overseas buyers with smart technology, original designs
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Baku on Wednesday.
Aliyev asked Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, to convey his warm greetings and best wishes to Chinese President Xi Jinping and thanked Xi for sending Wang as his special representative to attend the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) in Azerbaijan.
Aliyev said Azerbaijan and China enjoy a high level of political mutual trust and mutually beneficial economic cooperation, and their comprehensive strategic partnership is flourishing.
The common understandings he reached with President Xi during his visit to China last year have been effectively implemented, bringing bilateral relations to a new stage, Aliyev said.
Aliyev expressed appreciation for China's longstanding strong support for Azerbaijan in pursuing its economic and social development and safeguarding national interests.
He said Azerbaijan regards China as a leading force in the rise of the Global South, and Chinese modernization has set an example for developing countries, including Azerbaijan.
Noting that Azerbaijan was among the first countries to support and participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, Aliyev said a series of cooperation projects between the two countries has yielded fruitful results.
Azerbaijan is willing to strengthen strategic alignment with China and further expand cooperation in areas such as energy and connectivity, Aliyev said, adding that Azerbaijan welcomes more Chinese companies to invest and do business in the country.
He also called for making full use of the mutual visa exemption agreement to further promote people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
Aliyev said Azerbaijan firmly adheres to the one-China principle, fully supports the global initiatives put forward by President Xi, and appreciates China's consistent commitment to upholding international fairness and justice and multilateralism.
Azerbaijan is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China in international and regional affairs, he added.
Wang conveyed President Xi's cordial greetings to President Aliyev, saying that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China and Azerbaijan have maintained mutual understanding, trust and support, with bilateral relations enjoying strong momentum of growth and showing broad prospects for development.
China congratulates Azerbaijan on the remarkable progress it has made in national development under President Aliyev's leadership, supports Azerbaijan in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, and stands ready to strengthen cooperation with Azerbaijan and other parties on the Middle Corridor and remains a reliable long-term strategic partner in the process of Azerbaijan's development, Wang said.
China appreciates Azerbaijan's longstanding strong support on issues concerning China's core interests and also supports Azerbaijan in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, Wang said.
China's development represents a rise in the strength of the Global South and a boost to the collective strength of developing countries, Wang said, adding that China stands ready to continue close coordination and cooperation with Azerbaijan to safeguard the common interests of Global South countries.
China supports Azerbaijan in playing an important role on multilateral platforms such as CICA and in international affairs, and in making greater contributions to regional and global peace and stability, Wang said.
During the visit, Wang also held talks with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov.
Azerbaijani president meets Chinese FM
