Garments made by Nantong Xintong Import and Export Co. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

The five-year-old Nantong Foreign Trade Center in Jiangsu province now boasts the fastest growth rate in foreign trade anywhere in the city.

Over the years, 216 foreign trade businesses, administrative institutions including the China Chamber of International Commerce and electronic port, and cross-border e-commerce service suppliers such as TikTok have established a presence in the center.

Nantong Xintong Import and Export Co, a garment foreign trade enterprise, started operating in the Nantong Foreign Trade Center in 2018, when the company was just getting started in cross-border e-commerce, noted Li Dan, general manager of Xintong.

Motivated by the center's management committee, Li set her sights on cross-border e-commerce and opened stores on Alibaba international station, Amazon, and other platforms.

Due to its fast delivery and high-quality goods, Xintong has gradually come to occupy a portion of the market share in Europe and America.

However, Xintong has struggled with a shortage of qualified workers. After learning about the company's difficulties, the center invited professional scholars and heavyweights in the industry to offer training courses. Xintong has since cultivated four full-time cross-border e-commerce salesmen.

Cross-border e-commerce continues to account for a larger and larger share of Xintong's revenues, and in 2023, the operating revenue generated by the company's cross-border e-commerce business exceeded $1 million, with its products being exported to Europe, the United States, Australia, and Japan.