Supple but strong, Linyi's willows bring work and wealth

Linshu has developed hundreds of willow items, including products woven with cloth and wood, to keep up with changing demands.

The county has also been encouraging young people to expand the market by developing e-commerce and cross-border e-commerce, as Linyi has a well developed transportation network.

Close to the Beijing-Shanghai Expressway, the city has become a major hub connecting northern and southern China and now has 31 logistics centers.

"As a result, we're now able to send our products to more families," Zhang said.