Zhang Xue (center) poses for a photo with his son (right) and motobike racing driver Valentin Debise. Photos: Courtesy of the Evan Bros team

Recently, the success of ZXMOTO and its founder Zhang Xue's inspiring turnaround story have gone viral on social media. However, a clip from an interview has been widely circulated and has led to considerable misinterpretation.

When asked about the support provided by the Chongqing government, Zhang Xue candidly replied: "not a single cent." Yet, this frankness was taken out of context by some self-media accounts, either mocking the local government for "not recognizing talent" or framing Zhang Xue's success as a lone-hero narrative. Such interpretations are narrow-minded. The relationship between government support and business success deserves deeper reflection.

Government support is never merely about direct financial "transfusions," but rather about multifaceted "empowerment," integrating tangible and intangible elements, and balancing actions with non-interference.

The Chongqing government has facilitated the construction of a complete motorcycle industry chain, turning the city into China's "motorcycle capital." From engine blocks and precision gears to frame welding and chassis tuning, everything needed for high-performance motorcycles can be sourced within a few dozen kilometers. A favorable business environment, abundant talent reserves, and targeted tax incentives all serve to reduce burdens on enterprises and pave the way for innovation. Zhang Xue himself acknowledged that "Chongqing has not only provided the soil for me to build motorcycles, but also the confidence to build them well."

Today, government support for businesses has evolved far beyond simple financial aid or material assistance. Instead, it involves building a comprehensive innovation ecosystem, offering both broad-based support and targeted measures. This includes not only direct support such as funding, policy incentives, and government procurement but also indirect support through infrastructure development, business environment optimization, and industrial ecosystem cultivation.

More importantly, the success of a single business, or even an entire industry, should not be viewed narrowly through the lens of a specific location. Only by considering the context of a unified national market can one fully understand the deeper reasons behind the breakthrough success of ZXMOTO.

Zhang Xue himself is from Central China's Hunan Province. His company has the backing of state-owned capital from Zhejiang Province, carries out R&D and production in Chongqing, and sells its high-end motorcycles across the country and beyond. The success of his company brings together strengths from multiple regions, vividly illustrating China's distinctive strength: diverse local characteristics shine individually, while unified coordination creates collective advantages. A unified national market that ensures the smooth flow of production factors provides the foundation for businesses to compete boldly and pursue growth.

From new energy vehicle companies expanding their nationwide footprint in manufacturing, R&D, and sales, to local industrial guidance funds increasingly forming cross-regional partnerships, regions across the country are putting the "sweet potato economy" theory into practice. By transcending local boundaries, establishing a national foothold, and adopting a global perspective, they are better leveraging external resources and markets to achieve greater development. The Chinese-style "sweet potato economy" allows businesses to extend their vines across the nation to draw nourishment, thereby feeding back to deepen their roots, ultimately achieving the goal that "the more the vines spread, the sturdier the tuber grows."

China's development is a mutual achievement between the stage and its strivers - a two-way journey of devotion. A stage that is sufficiently robust will not obscure the sweat and wisdom of the strivers; likewise, the success of the strivers will not overshadow the nourishment provided by the stage itself.

With such a huge number of market entities in China, even if the government goes all out, it can hardly extend direct support to every single enterprise. Yet in today's China, we have a wealth of talent to drive innovation, infrastructure and industrial systems to support it, a vast market to reward it, practical applications to bring it to life, and institutional advantages to safeguard it. As long as one has creative ideas and entrepreneurial passion, they can press the "start button" to mobilize various resources and embark on the journey of pursuing their dreams.

With the foundation of China's innovation system and the combined strengths of government and market forces, Zhang Xue's passion will ignite the dreams of more entrepreneurs, and the breakthrough achieved by ZXMOTO will be merely the prelude to the surging tide of innovation sweeping across China.


This article was originally published by the Opinion Department of the People's Daily. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn