Why has this county in Guizhou “grown” into the province’s largest small and micro bearing production base?

“Loving to ‘tinker’ is Cen Xianli’s life motto.”
　　It was precisely this drive that enabled him to become one of the pioneers who broke new ground in Dushan County, Qiannan Prefecture’s bearing industry—building it from scratch.
　　On August 12, when the reporter met him at the Dushan County Bearing Industry Park, this “post-80s” entrepreneur—with slightly tanned skin and a crisp, concise manner of speaking—was simultaneously taking a phone call and hurrying toward the workshop.

“Our drone-manufacturing client in Shenzhen needs 800,000 sets by August 15, and we’re working overtime to meet the deadline.” As soon as I hung up the phone and opened WeChat, a flood of order-reminder messages popped up: “Mr. Cen, is the shipment ready yet?” “Can we start testing the new model now?”… The incessant notification sounds weren’t just about orders—they were a testament to our customers’ trust.
　　Inside the workshop, nearly 300 pieces of equipment and more than 40 automated production lines are operating at full capacity. Every day, 100,000 sets of miniature and extra-miniature bearings roll off the assembly line, destined for Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces—and even exported to Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America—providing a steady supply to component suppliers for brands such as Philips, Midea, Joyoung, and DJI. Amid the roar of machinery, the pulse of Dushan’s bearing industry beats strongly.

Bearings are critical components in mechanical equipment, often referred to as the “joints” of industry. Their primary functions are to support rotating parts, reduce friction during operation, and ensure high rotational accuracy. Although they may appear unremarkable, bearings play a decisive role in determining the level of advancement in the equipment manufacturing sector.
　　Who would have imagined that a mountainous county town in the western region, with unremarkable resource endowments, could “grow” into the province’s largest and most fully integrated production base for small and micro bearings?
　　Today, the area is home to more than 20 bearing and supporting enterprises, operating over 1,500 production lines, with an annual output of over 800 million sets of finished bearings. In 2024, industrial output value exceeded RMB 300 million, supporting employment for more than 2,000 people across the upstream and downstream sectors.

The story begins in 2012.
　　At the time, roughly 30,000 residents of Dushan County were working in the bearing industry in and around Cixi, Zhejiang Province. Recognizing the valuable human and technical resources these migrant workers brought with them, the local government promptly introduced policies to encourage their return home—what came to be known as the “Geese Return” initiative.
　　Having spent many years honing his skills in Zhejiang’s bearing industry, Cen Xianli resolutely returned home with a stainless-steel bearing project and founded Guizhou Fengda Bearing Co., Ltd.—one of the first companies to move into the bearing industrial park. “The local government offered us preferential treatment on factory space, including ‘three exemptions and two half-rate reductions,’ as well as subsidies for electricity and logistics costs, and even helped us secure financing,” he recalled. “In the early days of our venture, we faced one challenge after another: poor transportation links, weak technological capabilities, and severe funding constraints. Without the government’s support and guidance, we simply wouldn’t have made it.”

More importantly, more and more people are returning.
　　In Fengda’s bore-machining workshop, Master Guo’s forehead is beaded with sweat, yet his work is executed with meticulous care. “I’m a native of Dushan; I used to make bearings in Zhejiang, but I came back in 2018,” he says, his tone exuding a sense of stability. “With industries right on our doorstep, who would still want to go elsewhere?” Master Guo has also taken on apprentices, and the seven or eight machines before him are his prized possessions. Nearby, a fan blows steadily, causing his sweat to dry only to bead up again—but he remains fully focused on his task.

Driven by Fengda’s exemplary role, a large number of Dushan natives who had previously worked elsewhere have returned home to start businesses. Meanwhile, enterprises such as Guizhou Yuancheng and Youkai Bearings have also established operations in the area through investment promotion, continuously extending the industrial chain—from steel cutting and cold forging and stamping to the production of bearing components like rings, balls, cages, and seals, and further to cleaning, greasing, press-fitting, inspection, and packaging. Today, bearing manufacturing has achieved full-chain coverage, with products now serving sectors such as home appliances, automobiles, smart devices, and drones.
　　True competitiveness, however, stems from continuous technological breakthroughs. A complete bearing consists of inner and outer rings, a cage, rolling elements, seals, lubricants, and other components; while its structure is relatively simple, it places extremely stringent demands on manufacturing processes.

“Our latest-developed bearing has an inner diameter of 2 millimeters and an outer diameter of 5 millimeters, with a maximum rotational speed of 120,000 rpm,” said Cen Xianli, holding up a ballpoint pen for emphasis. “It’s about the same size as the pen’s refill, with tolerances controlled at the micrometer level.” To date, Fengda has secured one invention patent and 17 utility-model patents. Thanks to their outstanding performance—high-temperature resistance, low noise, and high-speed operation—the bearings it produces have successfully replaced imported components in high-end drone assemblies, positioning the company at the forefront of the burgeoning low-altitude economy and earning the favor of leading drone manufacturers such as DJI and XAG.

Bearing component manufacturers are also embracing innovation. Guizhou Yuansheng Industrial Co., Ltd., located in the industrial park, is a producer of mid- to high-end sealing rings.
　　“From design to mass production, we deliver within one week!” said Wei Longju, the company’s deputy general manager. He noted that the company has in-house tooling capabilities, with 52 production lines and over 1,000 sets of molds, enabling an annual output of 400 million sealing rings. As a result, the company has become the leading supplier of precision sealing rings in the Southwest region in terms of scale.

Corporate innovation cannot thrive without government support.
　　Dushan has incorporated the bearing industry into its 14th and 15th Five-Year Plans, designating it as a pillar sector of equipment manufacturing. The local government has taken the lead in fostering industry–university–research collaboration, providing support for equipment upgrades, and attracting expert participation in R&D—among other initiatives that continuously bolster the industry’s development. In addition, the County Human Resources and Social Security Bureau has partnered with vocational schools to establish “bearing-order classes,” which are specifically designed to cultivate skilled personnel tailored to the needs of the industry.
　　To further support enterprises in expanding production, Dushan has constructed 380,000 square meters of standard factory buildings in the northern part of the city and allocated 150 mu of industrial land as an expansion zone. The Dushan Economic Development Zone has implemented a “zone director responsibility system” to provide comprehensive, full-cycle support for enterprises, covering everything from site settlement to operational launch.

“Our next step is to develop bearings with a 1-millimeter inner diameter and a 4-millimeter outer diameter, and to collaborate with Guizhou University on the R&D of underwater propeller bearings, thereby expanding into the marine equipment sector,” said Cen Xianli, his eyes shining with ambition as he looked to the future.
　　This nascent, micro-sized bearing industry is taking root, flourishing, and bearing fruit deep in the mountains of southern Guizhou.