Anbao 30th Anniversary Special | The Origin Story: A Single Invoice That Launched a Thirty-Year Journey

2026-07-01

Thirty years tempered by time, thirty years of resolute strides.

In 1996, as reform and opening-up advanced in depth and the market economy flourished, the story of Anbao officially unfolded amid this great tide of the times.

Anbao was born from the bold breakthrough of its founder, Mr. Xiao Nan. Having worked at a state-owned enterprise for many years, Mr. Xiao Nan took a medical leave to recuperate after a sudden illness. Upon his return, he faced a job reassignment. Standing at the crossroads of transformation, he made the resolute decision to embark on the path of entrepreneurship.

The early days of the startup were fraught with uncertainty and hardships. Lost and searching for a way forward, he received guidance from Mr. Chan from Hong Kong, who recommended importing newsprint and proposed the brand name: Anbao.

Founder of Anbao: Xiao Nan, Chairman

Chengdu Anbao Trading Co., Ltd. was officially founded on August 7, 1996.

The company’s first business consisted of importing newsprint from Russia, marking a brand-new starting point of Anbao’s pursuit of dreams. Cross-border trade in the 1990s carried extremely high risks. Relatives and friends all tried to dissuade Mr. Xiao, fearing he might fall victim to fraud and lose all his capital. This filled Mr. Xiao Nan, a newcomer to import trade, with anxiety.

To ensure the smooth execution of the business, he traveled to Shanghai in person and stayed on-site throughout the customs clearance inspection process.

At that time, private enterprises were not granted independent import and export qualifications and had to rely on state-owned enterprises to issue letters of credit on their behalf.

After extensive coordination and negotiations with multiple parties, the maiden order was successfully completed.

An entrepreneurial invoice embodying courage and hope was issued at last.

An old invoice bears witness to the original aspiration of entrepreneurship and laid the foundation for a thirty-year journey.

Every forward stride began with that first bold venture. The seed of original aspiration planted back in 1996 has since taken root and sprouted, driving Anbao to forge ahead amid waves and grow toward light, composing an extraordinary industrial epic spanning three decades.

— Anbao 30th Anniversary Special · To Be Continued —