Across China: China's "lighter capital" blazes trail for global success

by Xinhua writers Liu Fangzhou, Yao Yu and Yao Yuan

CHANGSHA, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The city of Shaodong in central China's Hunan Province is famous for one industrial marvel: keeping the world's lighter prices low for over two decades.

Shaodong produces over 100 billion lighters annually, supplying nearly 70 percent of the world's disposable lighters. Despite rising production costs, the city's basic light