Yiwu secured the top spot in the scale of online retail sales for the first seven months of this year among all counties and cities in Zhejiang province, local media reported on Sept 8.

According to statistics, Yiwu's e-commerce transactions reached a staggering 270.49 billion yuan ($37.28 billion) during the period, a year-on-year growth of 12.15 percent. Online retail sales alone amounted to 164.8 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 11.78 percent.

According to the latest data available, the city boasts 556,900 e-commerce entities, representing a year-on-year growth of 28.6 percent and accounting for one-third of the province's e-commerce entities.

In 2023, 125,400 new e-commerce entities were established in Yiwu, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 55.43 percent, which constitutes three-quarters of all recently established market entities in the city.

In recent years, Yiwu has been supporting companies in expanding into emerging online markets in Southeast Asia, Brazil, Mexico, and Central Asia. Cumulatively, more than 40,000 new cross-border e-commerce entities have emerged in the city.

The city is also encouraging businesses such as supermarkets and restaurants to expand their online sales to meet the diverse and personalized consumption needs of residents.

The city is also nurturing the development of live streaming bases, helping sectors including agriculture, accommodation, tourism, and real estate seize online opportunities.