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China on the move: Businesses meet the challenge

2009-09-19 13:43 BJT

Special Report: 60th Anniversary of PRC |

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As the private sector contributes more and more to the country's rapid economic growth, entrepreneurs themselves are trying to improve by adapting to new ways of working. Wenzhou city in east China's Zhejiang province is well known for its people's spirit of enterprise.

As the owner of a large clothing company, Zhu Aiwu has little time for shopping, apart from visiting her flagship store in central Wenzhou, home to hundreds of famous luxury shops.

Zhu Aiwu's shops can be seen in many big cities all across China. Her Kobron leisure-wear brand is a household name. All of this has been achieved in the 20 years since Zhu set up her own tailor's shop with a few hundred yuan.

Zhu Aiwu said, "We were manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers ten years ago. We were not famous, even if the shirts I designed were popular in the market. We had to produce things for other people."

As her career grew, Zhu was unhappy at not being her own boss. She made every effort to create her own brand, and tried to catch up with the latest trends in the clothing industry and business management.

Now Kobron has turned itself into an original brand manufacturer. Zhu explains that using true business terminology.

"Virtual operation is what we are doing. We design, we operate the brand, others make the clothes. Manufacturing in my company has been virtualised.