A worker manufactures fishing tackle at a company in Linxiang, Hunan province, on July 1, 2025. CHEN SIHAN/XINHUA
As recreational fishing gains popularity among younger Chinese consumers seeking outdoor leisure activities, a small city in Central China's Hunan province is reaping the benefits.
Linxiang, a county-level city on the southern bank of the Yangtze River, now produces more than 80 percent of the fishing floats sold in China, turning a traditional fishing accessory into the foundation of a manufacturing cluster worth more than 9 billion yuan ($1.33 billion) a year.
What began as a handful of family workshops more than three decades ago has grown into an industry supporting more than 3,100 businesses, directly employing around 60,000 people, according to local government data.
Its rise offers a glimpse into how China's county-level economies are leveraging industrial specialization, technological innovation and shifting consumer trends to create new growth engines.
