Shandong's Caoxian county spurs rural vitalization

Yandianlou town in Caoxian county – located in East China's Shandong province – has become a key player in the rapid growth of e-commerce, contributing to its rural vitalization.

The town is home to 16 e-commerce villages, with 14 recognized as China Taobao Villages, including two villages – Zhaobaitang and Jiangzhuang villages – that were added in 2024.

Yandianlou has 3,968 e-commerce businesses, including 962 companies and over 8,000 active online stores. More than 21,000 residents are involved in the sector, driving its success.

A team from Renmin University of China visits manufacturers of hanfu – traditional Chinese attire – in Yandianlou town on a fact-finding tour. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The town specializes in performance costumes, photography attire and dancewear – offering high-quality products that are in strong demand. From January to October 2024, online sales hit an impressive 2.6 billion yuan ($356.2 million).

A delegation from three major business associations in Suzhou visit the E-commerce Logistics Park in Yandianlou town. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

To support its further growth, Yandianlou is developing the E-commerce Logistics Industrial Park. Covering 52,000 square meters, it includes showrooms and workshops, which will streamline logistics and reduce costs for e-commerce businesses when it's operational by the end of the year. 

Additionally, the town has fostered innovation, adding 133 new online stores and 126 e-commerce enterprises. To boost skills, Yandianlou has held three e-commerce training sessions, preparing local talent for the industry's ongoing expansion.

Looking ahead, Yandianlou remains committed to driving innovation in e-commerce, continuing its contributions to rural vitalization. (Edited by Zhang Ying)