Round Table China The counties shaping global trade
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Dec 19, 2025 A small county in China is revolutionizing the global jewelry industry with lab-grown diamonds, drastically lowering costs. Zhecheng produces over 60% of China’s synthetic stones, highlighting how local economies drive globalization. Other counties, like Kunshan, are thriving through diverse industries such as coffee and electronics due to their strategic locations. Meanwhile, Guangdong's manufacturing clusters excel, and Inner Mongolia explores energy innovations. These county economies illustrate China's evolving economic landscape, showcasing both opportunities and challenges.
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Zhecheng's Diamond Transformation
- Zhecheng county in Henan transformed from a poor county into China's diamond hub by attracting returning engineers and upgrading family workshops into factories.
- Local government built an industrial park and offered incentives to move the value chain from micro-powder to gem-grade lab-grown diamonds.
Counties Are New Economic Pillars
- China now has many county economies with GDPs rivaling large cities, each building a local pillar industry that scales nationally and internationally.
- Kunshan shows a county can become an industrial and trade hub by integrating with nearby megacities like Shanghai.
Toy Capital: Chenghai's Global Reach
- Chenghai District in Shantou became the world's leading toy manufacturing hub and now exports to over 120 countries.
- The district hosts a complete toy industry cluster and ranks first in China for toy brands and patents.