Singaporean businessman Pan Shufa stands proudly in his company. [Photo/zgyww.cn]

After suffering business frustration in Malaysia, Singaporean businessman Pan Shufa has rebuilt his career and found the love of his life in Yiwu, China's small commodity center.

"Yiwu has offered me the perfect platform to start a business, and has allowed me to achieve my dreams," said Pan.

The year 1998 marked a big turning point in Pan's life. It was when his business in Malaysia was severely hit by the Asian Financial Crisis, followed by a divorce with his wife.

Fortunately, Pan met a friend running a lighter business in 2000. He took Pan to a big market in Yiwu and encouraged him to do business there. 

Pan soon started doing foreign trade in the city and eventually relocated there. He also met a local girl and married her in 2003.

As Pan's business grew bigger and bigger, many foreign traders began enlisting him to buy small commodities in Yiwu for them, including Malaysian jewelry traders, Iranian daily necessity dealers and Singaporean chain stores.

Not one to rely solely upon export trade, Pan established a company in 2008 to import commodities from countries such as Singapore and Malaysia.

"New businesses develop very quickly here in Yiwu, such as e-commerce. Nearly 70 percent of the commodities are now sold online," said Pan, adding that cross-border e-commerce is in full swing in Yiwu.

Having been living in the city for nearly two decades, Pan is also impressed by the changes it has undergone.

"I still remember the day I first arrived in the city. The roads were very narrow, but today they're wide," said Pan.

"The quality of products in the market is also improving, and things are becoming more cost-friendly. People from all over the world come to do business with locals."

Pan added that he was most impressed by the locals, including volunteers seen on nearly every street, and drivers who stop for pedestrians.