As of Jan 26, 707,500 Yiwu residents whose household registrations are from outside Yiwu had decided to stay put in the city during the Spring Festival holiday from Jan 31 to Feb 6, according to the latest statistics from local government.

The figure is an increase of 114,300 from last year.

The population of permanent residents - those possessing local household registrations - in Yiwu was 1,859,400 in 2020, according to the 7th national census.

Echoing the government's proposal to cancel trips amid the Spring Festival travel rush and avoid the risk of COVID-19 infection, many people in Yiwu have decided not to return to their hometowns for family reunions.

These individuals have been compensated with consumption coupons and cash rewards by their employers, residential communities, and local authorities in Yiwu.

For example, some 2,000 non-local sanitation workers have been given a red envelope containing a 100-yuan ($15.72) bank note, a five-liter bottle of cooking oil, festive decorations, face masks, brown sugar and other groceries by the Yiwu Charity Federation.