Characteristic town boosts East China's home furniture industry

Riding the wave of reform and opening-up, Nankang district in Ganzhou, East China's Jiangxi province, a latecomer to China's home furniture industry, has made serious headway in recent years, becoming one of the most popular choices for both domestic and international buyers.

By the end of 2018, the home furniture industry in Nankang had registered an annual growth rate of over 20 percent for the fourth year in a row, with its earnings reaching 160 billion yuan ($22.7 billion). Online sales were robust, with over 400 local e-commerce companies bringing in 38.8 billion yuan in the first 10 months of 2019. The brand value of Nankang home furniture was estimated at over 10 billion yuan.

The district government was able to reap immense benefits by developing a strong industrial cluster, relying heavily on a new characteristic town in a remote corner of the district.

With its many exotic buildings emulating architectural styles from Egypt, Thailand and the Netherlands, the waterside town was ranked by the National Development and Reform Commission this July as the ninth "Most Beautiful Characteristic Town in China".

The unassuming town is expected to have a crucial role to play in the future of China's home furniture industry.

"We hope to build the town into a hub which integrates home furniture design, talent training, intelligent manufacturing, immersive experience, and shopping," a staff member at the town said.