It is the second year running that Ji Guomiao has attended the Boao Forum for Asia, which kicked off on Thursday in Boao town, southern Hainan province, but this year his company is a sponsor of the flagship economic event and he is setting the world a challenge.

The chairman of Shaoxing Huatong Textile Co Ltd is offering 100,000 yuan ($16,000) to any company that can prove its fabric product has better anti-microbial qualities than the hemp yarn that his firm produces.

"The fabric must be made from natural materials only, already being used to make garments, and be produced without the use of any bacteriostatic agent," he said.