The interview team of the "A Date with China" 2022 International Media Tour came to Yiwu, Zhejiang province. Media workers and foreign Internet celebrities in China deeply experienced the local market trade, e-commerce live broadcast, techniques of intangible cultural heritage and other activities, feeling the charm of Yiwu as a hub city along the "Belt and Road".

When it comes to Yiwu, many international friends said excitedly that they had long known that it is a famous capital of small commodities in China, where countless goods made in China are shipped worldwide. Their first impression of Yiwu was a city characterized by high-rise buildings, cleanliness and modernization. "I think it is more like a big city than a county town. There are a lot of foreigners like me on the street," a social media influencer said.

Walking into Yiwu International Trade Market, the interview team cannot help but marvel at it. "It is so amazing!", "I think I need to buy another suitcase.", "I want to spend a day shopping here!"… Deeply fascinated by the products on the shelves, the team stopped to take lots of pictures of them. The exquisite commodities impressed many social media influencers and stimulated their desire for shopping.

The members of the interview group are listening to the introduction of Yiwu Commodity City (Photo/Tan Qikuan)

Arfan, a Zhejiang University student from Pakistan, stopped in front of a basket shop, with eyes looking at the various bamboo basketwork. After careful selection, he finally set his sights on a three-piece suit of bamboo baskets. "The basket is pretty and cheap, and I plan to put it on my shelf for storage, " Alfan said contentedly, with the basket in his hands.

Arfan from Pakistan is shopping for products in Yiwu Commodity City (Photo/Yu Fei)

In Yiwu, with the continuous development of 5G, big data and other technologies, new forms of e-commerce are also flourishing. The media team came to Yiwu Industrial & Commercial College to experience the whole process of live broadcast and offline sales of products.

Kimberly, an American professor, Hassnain, an international student from Zhejiang University, and Monteiro, an international student from Tsinghua University, are very interested in live streaming and can't wait to experience the fun of it. They interacted with each other by holding oranges, giving a thumbs-up to the camera and enthusiastically showing the audience the juiciness and tenderness of the oranges. After the live streaming, Monteiro was still immersed in it and said to the staff, "Live streaming is really interesting, if you open a branch in Beijing, please let me know, and I will come to help you to sell fruits by live streaming.”

International friends are participating in e-commerce live broadcasts (Photo/Tan Qikuan)

The media team came to Yiwu Railway port to watch the loading and departure process of the CR Express bound for Madrid, Spain. The CR Express in Yiwu operates point-to-point direct routes of international freight in 18 directions, covering more than 160 cities in more than 50 countries in Eurasia. Tens of thousands of goods made in China from eight provinces and cities -- Zhejiang, Shanghai, Guangdong, Anhui, Jiangxi, Shandong, Fujian and Jiangxi -- are sent from Yiwu to the world via the train.

The "CR Express" train waiting for departure at the Yiwu Railway Port (Photo/Tan Qikuan)

Ali, a social media influencer, engages in trade activities in Yiwu. Looking at the departure of the CR Express train. He said that the CR Express has greatly improved the trade and logistics conditions of the countries along the "Belt and Road", which enables high-quality Chinese goods to better circulate among the countries in Asia and Europe. Ali said his hometown Türkiye is one of the countries that benefit from the CR Express.

Ali from Türkiye shares his feelings at the Yiwu Railway Port (Photo/Tan Qikuan)

From offline market to online e-commerce, from the country to the world, Yiwu, as the "World’s Capital of Small Commodities", is constantly expanding its circle of friends along "The Belt and Road" and accelerating to keep pace with the development of the world. The business stories and development history here become the vivid epitome of China's openness to the world and its effort to promote win-win cooperation, thus further opening the door to the world to share opportunities.

Reporter: Tan Qikuan, Yu Fei (Intern)

Editor: Tan Qikuan