It is hard to picture the area around China’s Chijian Lake as anything other than a bustling industrial center. Yet, locals like 20-year-old Zhong Zihao remember hearing stories about how this landscape used to be filled with quiet rice paddies and farmland. Today, that humble past has been completely transformed by massive factories, new bridges, and modern infrastructure, turning a once-overlooked corner of Fujian province into a powerhouse of technology.
This rapid shift is all thanks to CATL, the company that now defines the region. For residents, the change is a huge point of pride. Zhong explains that simply saying he is from the home of CATL commands respect, giving a small town newfound confidence on the global stage.