A selection of some of the appealing products made by the Xinyuan Group. [Photo/ntafbu.com]

The Xinyuan Group is a silk products manufacturer based in the county-level city of Hai'an – administered by Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province – that is doing exceptionally well despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company reported a growth in exports in the first four months of this year, with the volume hitting $12 million, doubling from the same period last year.

"The more difficult it is, the more social responsibility a company should take," said Chu Chengping, chairman of the Xinyuan Group.

Twenty years ago, Chu was transferred from being Party secretary of a town in Hai'an to be the head of Hai'an's Cocoon Silk Company, the predecessor of Xinyuan. His business mainly focused on the acquisition and resale of silkworm cocoons.

Knowing that the cocoon silk industry could only be rejuvenated through continuous innovation, Chu Chengping grasped the initiative. He employed domestic and overseas experts, created innovation teams and strengthened cooperation with universities and institutes – to drive the advance of the industry through research, development and the promotion of cocoon silk technologies.

Employees were also encouraged to get involved in innovation.

Chu Chengping, chairman of the Xinyuan Group based in Hai'an, is committed to helping more farmers get out of poverty through mulberry cultivation and silkworm breeding. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

In addition to local farmers, Chu was committed to helping more farmers attain prosperity. In 2007, he learned that Huanjing Maonan autonomous county has unique natural conditions for silkworm breeding in batches. As a result, Xinyuan established a subsidiary there, to help lead its locals to a better life.

At present, Xinyuan has established mulberry fields covering 20,000 hectares in eight counties and cities in China. Moreover, it has helped 220,000 peasant households increase their income and 13,000 registered poverty-stricken households to emerge from poverty.

Moving forward, Chu Chengping says he will continue to commit himself to making the traditional industry of mulberry cultivation and silkworm breeding bigger, stronger and better – and to become one of the pillar industries – to lead farmers to prosperity.