'Hometown of glasses' eyes smart transition

China's "hometown of glasses" — Yujiang district in Yingtan, Jiangxi province — is upgrading its industrial infrastructure to consolidate its status as one of the five main domestic hubs for eyeglasses.

With a history of selling eyewear for 200 years, Yujiang is focusing its efforts on artificial intelligence innovation and brand building.

As of end-2024, Yujiang's 2.6 square-kilometer eyeglasses industrial zone was home to about 260 companies, with their annual main business income reaching 10.8 billion yuan ($1.5 billion).