Jinjiang, widely known as China's footwear capital, is spotlighting innovation to tackle growing competition in the industry, the city’s mayor said.

Jinjiang Mayor Liu Wenru talks with the media during the 16th Jinjiang International Footwear Exposition. [Photo by Sun Li from China Daily Fujian Bureau]

Mayor Liu Wenru said big inventories posed a serious challenge to most shoemakers in the city, and the days when footwear makers easily made money by boosting their manufacturing capacity were gone.

Liu was talking at the 2014 Jinjiang International Footwear Exposition, which runs until Monday.

“It is time for footwear makers to focus on innovation and design, and the local government is prioritizing and encouraging innovation to help local brands compete with foreign companies,” Liu said.

At this year’s expo, there is an area is dedicated to industry technology, where visitors can see the design process of new products from top brands.

By Sun Li from China Daily Fujian Bureau.