Editor's note: East China's Zhejiang province is renowned for its large international population. Aloft on the wings of China's reform and opening-up policy, a group of Zhejiang people have gone abroad to make a living since the 1970s. As this year marks the 40th anniversary of the policy, the Zhejiang website (www.ezhejiang.gov.cn) is launching a series of stories about overseas Chinese who are originally from Zhejiang, as well as those who are active in the province's development. Stories courtesy of Zhejiang Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and Zheshang Magazine

Chen Naike, a businessman from Lishui, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Zheshang Magazine]

Chen Naike is known as the "King of Socks" in the Czech Republic, a country he moved to in the early 1990s upon graduating university.

A businessman from Lishui, an area of Zhejiang province known for producing many overseas Chinese, Chen has, since 2005, also started several businesses back home.

The Zhejiang native left China for the Central European country with little more than a large trunk, which, in addition to a few clothes, contained various items he had brought from Zhejiang's famous commodities hub, Yiwu city.

His arrival came not long after the Czech Republic had started trading with China but it was still uncommon to spot fellow compatriots in the country.

However, cheap but good quality Chinese products proved popular among local residents. Chen hawked his commodities to stores in hot scenic spots, during which he saw a big business opportunity in socks.

Chinese businessmen had not yet exported socks to that area at the time, according to Chen.