Foreigners find careers and a home in Taizhou

BEIJING, Aug. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from People's Daily:

Taizhou, located in eastern China's Zhejiang province, is a city shaped by mountains and sustained by the sea. Its distinctive geography has fostered a culture of openness and inclusiveness. In recent years, Taizhou has continued to advance its high-level opening-up, improve its business environment, and enhance public services. As a result, an increasing number of foreigners are coming to the city to work, start businesses, settle down, and build their lives, linking their personal aspirations with the city's development.

Argentine designer Rodrigo Alvarez serves as chief designer at Jinlang Science & Technology Co., Ltd., a motorcycle manufacturer. Working alongside the company's R&D team, he has tailored motorcycle designs to the aesthetic preferences, riding habits, and usage scenarios of Latin American consumers. By making targeted improvements to features such as appearance and body proportions, his efforts have helped the company better meet market demand and gradually build a differentiated competitive edge.

Alvarez said he has witnessed the company's transition from exporting products to building brands overseas. "More than 10 years ago, Chinese products mainly entered the Latin American market based on price advantage. Today, Chinese brands place much greater emphasis on design and quality."

In recent years, Taizhou has continued its transition from a "manufacturing hub" to a "smart manufacturing center." Top technical talent from China and abroad has converged in the city. Foreign experts with cutting-edge expertise and hands-on experience in international projects have taken root in local industries, injecting fresh vitality into the upgrading of Taizhou's manufacturing sector.

At Taizhou Tailleur Sewing Equipment Co. Ltd. in Jiaojiang district, rows of industrial sewing machines stand neatly arranged. Al-Fosaiel Khaled Abdulatef Ahmed, head of the company, was busy fine-tuning a new model ahead of an upcoming international sewing equipment exhibition. Born into a Yemeni family with a long tradition in the sewing machine business, Ahmed came to China at the age of 17 to learn the technology. After visiting cities such as Shanghai, Wuhan, and Yiwu, he gradually developed the idea of starting his own sewing machine brand in China.

He ultimately chose Taizhou because of its complete industrial and supply chains. From whole-machine manufacturing and component production to servo motors and electronic control systems, more than 400 sewing equipment manufacturers operate across the industry, covering virtually every stage of industrial sewing machine production.

Ahmed was also deeply impressed by the support and healthy competition among local businesses. Early in his entrepreneurial journey, he secured a large order but lacked the funds to pay the full deposit for the components he needed. The general manager of another local sewing machine company stepped forward to provide a guarantee, helping him overcome the difficulty. Whenever he encounters challenges in R&D, production and delivery, market expansion, or policy applications, local industry associations and fellow businesses in Taizhou are ready to lend a hand.

The local government has continued to improve the business environment, strengthening market regulation, legal services, and government service to support business growth. Today, Taizhou is home to more than 3,000 foreign-invested enterprises, four provincial-level foreign-funded R&D centers, and the Zhejiang China-Germany (Taizhou) Industrial Cooperation Park.

Years ago, a young German woman whose Chinese name is Pan Moli came to Linhai, a county-level city administered by Taizhou, and married into Baishuiyang village in Baishuiyang town. In her eyes, Baishuiyang is a clean and pleasant place to live, with well-developed public facilities and a rich array of cultural and sporting activities. The village basketball league, in particular, left a lasting impression on her.

"Men and women, young and old, all come to watch because everyone loves the games. I had never seen anything like this in Germany," she said. Villagers who work and chat together during the day become opponents on the court at night. They compete fiercely during the games, yet afterward they are still laughing and chatting together. "I think this is a reflection of Taizhou's culture of harmony," she said.

Today, Pan Moli serves as an overseas communications ambassador for Taizhou. She uses her phone to film village basketball games and document Dragon Boat Festival traditions such as making zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), crafting scented sachets, and hanging mugwort. She then shares the videos on social media, allowing followers overseas to discover everyday life in Taizhou's rural communities through her lens.

In recent years, Taizhou has made notable progress in coordinated urban-rural development. In 2025, the urban-rural income ratio in Taizhou fell to 1.79, down 0.03 from the previous year, keeping the income gap relatively low.

The exit-entry administration department of the city's public security bureau, together with the city's foreign experts service center, has set up a dedicated service counter at the municipal administrative service center. The counter handles five frequently requested services, including work permit issuance, employer registration, visa extensions, residence permit issuance, and document replacement or reissuance. Through one-stop processing with parallel approvals, overall processing times have been cut by more than 60 percent.

Walking through the streets of Taizhou, one often encounters people from around the world. Some came for the city's industries, while others stayed for its quality of life. Here, they have built both their careers and their lives. For them, Taizhou is no longer just a name on a map, but a city where they can put down roots, pursue their dreams, and grow alongside the community.

SOURCE People's Daily