A recent conference in Beijing honoured Rui’an city in Zhejiang province, as China’s "casual shoe production centre", because of the extraordinary growth the city has experienced since mass production started in 1992. The first China Characteristic Economy Exchange & Investment Conference in Beijing recognised the city and reported that more than 300 factories manufacturing shoes are now located in the area, with the majority utilising modern production lines.

In 2000, Rui’an produced more than 100 million pairs of casual shoes at a value of more than 4 billion yuan. The area is responsible for 92% of the national output of casual leather shoes. In order to consolidate the dominance of Rui’an, the Chinese authorities have decided to build a new industrial zone of around 1,300,000 square metres next to the city to expand shoe production.