Pingxiang, a border city in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, has latched onto livestreaming in order to utilize e-commerce to sell into the bordering Vietnamese market, enriching many of its entrepreneurial residents in the process.

One such resident is Zhang Shanghua, a member of the Zhuang ethnic group, who's transferred his business online to capitalize on the growing demand coming from across the border in Vietnam.

"Cross-border e-commerce has helped improve livelihoods for the local ethnic communities here in the border regions," said 42-year-old Zhang.

Guangxi is home to a diverse range of China's 56 ethnic groups, including Zhuang, Yao, Miao and Dong people.

Zhang previously spent years in the border region operating a seafood business, so his command of Vietnamese was fluent, making it a logical step for him to take.

Switching from fish to livestreamed sales of clothing, daily necessities, cosmetics and small household appliances, Zhang was able to hone his new craft at the Pingxiang cross-border e-commerce live broadcast base upon its opening early last year.

Since, the entrepreneur has expanded into Vietnam itself, setting up a live broadcast studio there and employing locals to sell Chinese-made goods.

"Compared to selling seafood, my income has multiplied several times over. This is something I never even dared to imagine before," he said.

Zhang said he's noticed many young people in Pingxiang finding opportunities in the cross-border e-commerce industry in recent years. "Even if they don't speak Vietnamese or lack livestreaming knowledge, they can still find a place in the industry by working in areas such as warehousing and delivery."

According to data from the Vietnam E-commerce Association, in the first quarter of this year, the proportion of Vietnamese online consumers purchasing via live broadcasts was as high as 95 percent.

Bi Chunyuan, secretary-general of the Pingxiang Cross-border E-commerce Association, said "More than 80 percent of goods on Vietnam's major e-commerce platforms come from China."

For Zhang, with his business booming, he plans to expand to recruit a further seven Vietnamese speaking anchors.

"I am proud that I can contribute my part to promoting Chinese products abroad and I believe that enhanced economic cooperation between China and Vietnam will also strengthen friendship between the two sides," he said.

According to data from the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, from January to July this year, cross-border e-commerce import and export volume from Pingxiang county exceeded 6 billion yuan ($8.46 billion), with a year-on-year increase of more than 400 percent.

In 2021, the cross-border e-commerce public customs clearance center in Chongzuo Area of China (Guangxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone, dedicated to providing efficient and convenient customs clearance services, was built.

China and Vietnam in December further deepened and upgraded their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

Bi from the cross-border e-commerce association said that with the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, countries are able to share development opportunities, meaning larger markets and more profits for cross-border e-commerce in Guangxi.

Contact the writers at [email protected]