Cosmetic contact lenses are a growing export sector in Fengjie, Chongqing. (Photo/Chongqing Daily)

Chongqing - Cosmetic contact lenses are fueling growth at Fengjie Ecological Industrial Park in Chongqing, China, a rapidly developing hub with over 70 companies producing frames, lenses, Bluetooth glasses, and contact lenses.

In 2024, the park's total output reached 3.02 billion yuan (about 419 million U.S. dollars), with products sold to more than 30 countries and regions. In 2025, Chongqing’s eyewear exports exceeded 100 million yuan, up 44.7 percent year on year.

Local county offers strong industrial support

At 9 a.m. on January 29, Pakistani eyewear buyer Rashid Ahmed arrived at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport to visit a new manufacturing site. His long-time Chinese partner, Qian Linfen, head of Chongqing Ai Shang Mei Glasses Co., Ltd., had built a contact lens factory deep in the mountains of the Three Gorges, the first of its kind in the region. On the fully automated production line, robotic arms deftly handled lenses in peacock blue, coral pink, and amber brown.

More than two decades ago, Rashid had just opened an eyewear shop in his hometown, mainly sourcing framed glasses from China, where he first met Qian in Guangzhou. Over the past ten years, as colored contact lenses surged in popularity in Middle Eastern and South Asian markets, their business expanded steadily. Rashid now purchases contact lenses worth several million yuan annually from Qian, covering prescriptions ranging from 25 to 2,000 diopters, with brightly colored cosmetic lenses often in short supply.

The contract manufacturers Qian had long relied on gradually became unable to keep pace with the annual order growth of around 20 percent. With sustained demand from more than a dozen countries, including Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Kuwait, and Egypt, establishing an independent and controllable production base became urgent.

Rising land and labor costs in coastal regions such as Guangzhou, along with intense competition, repeatedly delayed Qian’s plan to build her own factory. The turning point came in early 2024, when an investment promotion team from Fengjie approached her. At that time, Fengjie’s eyewear industry, virtually nonexistent in earlier years, had already taken shape and attracted companies to set up manufacturing there.

An official said, “The supply chain for traditional frame glasses and lenses is relatively mature, while contact lenses remain a weak link despite being a high‑growth segment." Fengjie aims to complete its industrial layout by capturing this fast‑growing segment and raising the overall value of the cluster.”

The investment promotion team reached Qian. She recalled, “They were persistent, introducing policies and helping us analyze industry trends.” The delegation outlined Fengjie’s industrial support base, cost advantages, and policy incentives, including rent reductions, fixed‑asset investment subsidies, and loan interest support.

Compared with coastal areas, Fengjie’s industrial land costs are 60 to 80 percent lower, factory rents are about 75 percent lower, utilities are more than 20 percent cheaper, and labor costs are roughly 25 percent lower. What convinced her further was reassurance from a Guangzhou associate already operating in Fengjie that “local government commitments are carried through.”

Adapting to global market preferences

On January 9, 2026, Ai Shang Mei officially established operations in Fengjie, where an 18,000‑square‑meter modern contact lens factory rose in the Three Gorges region.

The factory secured immediate orders. Workers on the line were packaging the first batch of 100,000 lenses bound for Egypt, signed on opening day.

Two of the three production lines are fully automated. Qian explained, “This is the country’s first fully digital automated equipment dedicated to contact lens manufacturing,” with robotics handling key stages from liquid injection and molding to packaging. The plant’s 20 workers primarily oversee equipment monitoring, parameter adjustment, and process programming.

Qian said, “Pattern and color design is our core competitive strength.” Market preferences vary sharply: Middle Eastern buyers favor bold colors, while Southeast Asian consumers prefer more natural styles. Ai Shang Mei has therefore formed a professional color design team that launches eight to ten new patterns each month for different overseas markets.

After touring the facility, Rashid signed a new contract and said, “This time I’m going to increase purchases by 30 percent.”

Purchasing teams from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia are scheduled to visit. A Saudi client has already indicated intent to place an order at the million‑lens scale.

Qian is also advancing technical cooperation with South Korean partners, with plans to build a local mold research and production base in Fengjie to localize key technologies.

As capacity expands, Ai Shang Mei is preparing a longer‑term international strategy. Europe and North America are the next targets, though they require stricter medical device certification. Qian said, “We are upgrading our quality management system in line with ISO 13485 standards,” and “We expect to obtain CE certification within two years, enabling entry into the European market.”