On September 18, I had the pleasure of interviewing Liu Jun, Vice President of the Laos Hunan Chamber of Commerce. During our conversation, he shared how the “daylily spirit” has been a driving force throughout his entrepreneurial journey.

“Entrepreneurship is rarely a smooth ride,” Liu said. “Whenever I encounter setbacks, I think back to my childhood days of picking daylilies. The daylily embodies resilience, perseverance, and kindness—all qualities that inspire me to keep pushing forward.”

Liu Jun originates from Qidong County in Hengyang City, Hunan Province, known as the birthplace of daylilies in China. He fondly recalls his summers spent in a remote rural setting, where he would eagerly accompany his parents, basket in hand and straw hat on his head, to the fields to harvest daylilies. Local villagers would wake as early as three or four in the morning to collect these vibrant flowers in pursuit of a fruitful harvest.

With humble beginnings, Liu moved to Guangdong at a young age to seek work. In the early 1990s, he returned to his hometown, utilizing his savings to launch various businesses, including a jewelry factory and a pig farm. Despite facing numerous challenges due to his lack of experience, he remained undeterred.

“I remind myself that even in the scorching summer heat, daylilies stand tall and resilient. What do my small failures in business really matter?” Liu reflected, highlighting how his childhood memories and the indomitable spirit of his hometown have deeply shaped his approach to entrepreneurship.

In 2008, Liu ventured into the real estate sector with friends and found success. He co-founded a paint company in Dongguan shortly thereafter. By 2011, a business trip to Laos opened his eyes to a significant opportunity, leading him to establish BCC Paints and relocate his factory to Vientiane in 2016.

“With the backing of my homeland and a willingness to work hard, opportunities are everywhere,” Liu expressed enthusiastically. His company has diversified its product range and quickly captured a significant share of the Laotian paint market.

As his business flourished, Liu felt a stronger yearning for the land of blooming daylilies. He actively supports rural revitalization projects in his hometown, contributing to the construction of local pavilions and investing in a building materials company to create job opportunities for residents.

Frequenting both Laos and Hengyang, Liu is excited to witness the tremendous transformation in Qidong. The city’s development now rivals that of major urban centers. Notably, Qidong’s daylilies have gained international recognition, topping the charts in production nationwide and being exported to Southeast Asia, Japan, Australia, and beyond through the Belt and Road initiative, earning the title of the “golden vegetable.”

To introduce Qidong’s daylilies to the Laotian market, Liu is actively working with relevant authorities and businesses to establish export agreements. “The Laos Hunan Chamber of Commerce has a vast membership throughout the country. Once daylilies enter the Laotian market, I have no doubt they’ll be in high demand, allowing many from Hunan to enjoy the flavors of our homeland,” he remarked.

According to statistics from the Laos Hunan Chamber of Commerce, since the 1990s, around 150,000 people from Hunan have engaged in business activities in Laos across various industries, including hardware, clothing, timber, and building materials.

In his role as Vice President of the Laos Hunan Chamber of Commerce, Liu is passionate about fostering economic and trade exchanges between Laos and Hunan. He revealed that the chamber has established an office in Hunan, along with a cultural exchange and product exhibition center to facilitate trade. They regularly hold cultural and economic exchange activities to showcase quality products from both regions, promoting collaboration and mutual benefit. Furthermore, the information services they provide on investment and cultural exchanges significantly bolster Hunan enterprises on the international stage.

With the recent opening of the China-Laos Railway—a key project under the Belt and Road initiative—transportation costs for businesses have decreased by 30%. This has instilled Liu with optimism about the future: “With the backing of my homeland, my heart rooted in my hometown, and a foothold in Laos, I aim to build a global, environmentally-friendly enterprise,” he concluded.