In 2017, Yiwu achieved regional GDP of 115.8 billion yuan ($16.78 billion), up by 7.5 percent year-on-year, general financial revenue of 14.21 billion yuan, up by 8.7 percent. It completed fixed assets investment of 63.31 billion yuan, up by 18.2 percent and ranking first among the province’s top 17 county-level cities, and industrial investment for technical improvement of 12.33 billion yuan, with a year-on-year increase of 33.6 percent. Its foreign trade volume totaled 233.9 billion yuan, up by 4.93 percent. The value added of equipment manufacturing, strategic emerging industry and hi-tech industry rose 50.8 percent, 17.5 percent, and 21.1 percent respectively. The e-commerce trade volume reached 222 billion yuan, up by 25.3 percent year-on-year.

In 2017, the per capita disposable income of Yiwu reached 57,811 yuan, up by 8.9 percent year-on-year, that for urban citizens was 66,081 yuan, and that for rural citizens was 33,393 yuan, increasing 8.7 percent and 9.2 percent. The total retail sales of consumer goods amounted to 65.38 billion yuan, up by 11.5 percent. Newly- established market entities exceeded 70,000.

◎A trade capital with numerous business opportunities

Yiwu has the world’s largest market of small commodities, which consists of three sub-markets: Yiwu International Trade City, Huangyuan Clothing Market, and an international means of production market. It serves as a circulation center, exhibition center, and an information center for global consumer goods. 

Yiwu Market, the core area of Yiwu business area, covers over 6.4 million square meters, and has 75,000 stores. It boasts the most abundant commodities, about 26 categories and over 1.8 million kinds of products, all of which are cheap, of good quality, and strongly competitive. Its goods are exported to 219 countries and regions all over the world. Its export-oriented economy accounts for 65 percent of its total businesses. The enormous customer flow, cargo distribution, information and capital flows bring numerous business opportunities for global trade.

◎Super-large-scale investment platform

Yiwu has 13 national industrial bases, one national economic and technical development zone, one provincial-level commercial service industrial cluster, one provincial-level information and photo-electronics hi-tech zone and a Silk Road New Area. Its modern service industries such as commerce and trade, conventions, finance, logistics and e-commerce are well developed. Thanks to its strong economy, it is hailed as one of the Chinese cities with the best investment potential.

Its logistics system reaches 321 cities across the country, forming a nationwide logistics network. It is a major inland port in Zhejiang province and China’s largest distribution center for less-than-carload freight. It was listed as an international inland port city by the United Nations Economic and Social Committee for Asia and the Pacific.

◎Fertile land for entrepreneurship that blends in the world

Yiwu is open and inclusive, and retains harmony in diversity. Every year, overseas buyers coming to purchase in Yiwu exceed 500,000, among whom more than 13,000 stay  permanently. It has been rated as one of the favorite Chinese cities among Chinese and overseas people. Over 20 transnational retail groups such as Wal-Mart and Metro and more than 30 well-known Chinese chain supermarkets have set up permanent purchase departments in Yiwu. The city now has over 5,300 institutions involved in foreign affairs, of which more than 2,200 are foreign-invested joint ventures, accounting for about 75 percent of the country’s total number. It has 320,000 economic entities and was rated as one of China’s top 10 cities for startups.