Zhejiang province has rolled out an upgraded version of its nationally pioneering "big companies helping small shops" initiative, with a provincial promotion meeting held on Nov 24 in Yiwu.

As one of China's strongest hubs for individual businesses, Zhejiang is home to 7.4 million self-employed households — about 70 percent of all market entities in the province. These small shops, essential to everyday life, often struggle with weak financing, limited technology, narrow sales channels, and low brand visibility.

The program aims to pair large enterprises with individual businesses, leveraging the strengths of both sides. Big companies contribute capital, technology, talent, management, and brand resources, while small shops offer proximity to consumers and agile market response. The goal is precise matching and complementary growth.

Since Zhejiang launched the initiative last year — the first of its kind in the country — 1,728 large enterprises have been paired with 109,400 small shops, delivering significant early results.