Qingtian, a mountainous county in Lishui, Zhejiang province, is utilizing its global diaspora network to become a significant hub for international trade.

With over 300,000 overseas Chinese from the county, Qingtian has developed specialized channels for both importing foreign products and exporting Chinese goods.

Qingtian Imported Commodity City now features European delicacies like Spanish ham, which are also available at major international events like the China International Import Expo. The county has also introduced nearly 2,000 overseas brands, including more than 400 making their Chinese debut.

Institutional innovation has been key to Qingtian's success. The county issued China's first production license, which allowed imported ready-to-eat fermented ham to be sliced and sold locally, significantly improving affordability and introducing many Chinese consumers to Spanish ham through Qingtian-processed slices.

In 2024, the county accounted for substantial sales from Spanish ham products exported to China, with over 40 specialized businesses and 300 agents achieving annual sales exceeding 100 million yuan ($14.07 million).

The county has extended this model to other products, including salami and Angus beef, adopting a "European food, European techniques, Qingtian manufacturing" approach that involves importing raw materials for local processing, with the Qingtian European Food Industrial Park now hosting 14 food processing enterprises with an annual output value of approximately 200 million yuan.

Qingtian also serves as an export launchpad, utilizing its network of over 20,000 Chinese restaurants worldwide. Furthermore, the county has established an agricultural product export distribution center, enabling one-stop exports of items such as rice and vegetables.

A centralized cross-border procurement platform enables overseas Chinese to efficiently source local specialties online, addressing the challenges posed by fragmented purchasing channels.