A cross-provincial collaboration between Yongren County in Yunnan and the silk industry in Shandong is adding a concrete footnote to the national 'East-Silk West-Solid' strategy. From July 30 to August 1, a delegation led by the county's mayor visited three locations—Juxian in Rizhao, Qingzhou in Weifang, and Zhoucun in Zibo—covering the entire chain from silkworm breeding to silk reeling and textile dyeing. The move reflects a shift in industrial logic, as western raw material bases actively seek integration with eastern manufacturing clusters.
Background
Located in northern Yunnan, Yongren County boasts a high-quality mulberry and silkworm raw material base, but has long struggled with weak processing capacity and low added value. Shandong, a major silk industry hub, hosts a complete production chain, from silkworm eggs to home textiles. Notably, Zibo Daranfang Silk Group operates the largest integrated dyeing and weaving production line in China, while Juxian Haitong Cocoon Silk Company has built a composite business model combining mulberry cultivation, silk reeling, and agro-tourism.
The delegation focused on Shandong Guangtong Silkworm Breeding Group's globally leading R&D capacity and the industrialization of feed-based silkworm rearing. This indicates that Yongren aims to acquire upstream technology in improved silkworm varieties and farming methods, rather than merely importing a few production lines. For Shandong enterprises, Yongren's raw material resources and labor costs offer an ideal承接 point for capacity expansion.
Industrial Impact
This engagement signals that central and western sericulture regions are no longer satisfied with exporting primary raw materials. Instead, they seek to directly embed into high-end processing links through cross-regional collaboration. For Yongren, introducing Shandong's silkworm breeding and silk reeling technology could enable local conversion of raw materials into raw silk and even fabrics, retaining profits within the county.
For Shandong silk companies, this represents both a market expansion opportunity and a shift in supply chain dynamics. As land and labor costs rise in the east, relocating some reeling processes to Yunnan while retaining R&D and dyeing core competencies may become a viable cost-reduction strategy. However, cross-provincial cooperation faces practical challenges such as logistics costs, technical adaptation, and management span, requiring gradual implementation through pilot projects.
From a broader perspective, the Shandong-Yunnan cooperation is a concrete case of the 'East-Silk West-Solid' policy, which aims to guide the eastern silk industry to extend westward, forming a complementary industrial belt. During the visit, both sides held in-depth discussions on specific projects such as raw silk deep processing, silkworm egg supply, and feed-based rearing technology, indicating that cooperation has moved from intention to project negotiation.