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Consumers select necklaces at the East China International Jewelry City in Zhuji county-level city. [Photo by Gan Jing for Tide News]

Crowds of buyers and tourists thronged the East China International Jewelry City in Zhuji, Shaoxing, Zhejiang province on Feb 20.

Agents sipped on their coffee as they made their way to familiar storefronts. Livestreaming hosts meticulously prepared with makeup and product selections for their upcoming shows. Shop owners diligently handled goods for labeling and packaging.

Situated in Shanxiahu town, East China International Jewelry City stands as a global hub for pearl and jewelry production, processing, distribution, and logistics. It serves as a center for brand display, trade, financial transactions, business information dissemination, as well as cultural exchange and tourism.

With evolving consumer purchasing behaviors and a burgeoning tourism market, the Jewelry City has progressively become a sought-after destination for tourists, presenting lucrative opportunities for merchants.

"This year, our focus is on tourism, transforming the professional market into a tourist hotspot, thereby supporting the cultural and tourism development of the pearl town," said Lu Danping, vice-president of East China International Jewelry City.

An expat participates in a livestreaming session in Zhuji. [Photo by Jiang Liben/For China Daily]

In addition to offline endeavors, the online marketplace remains vibrant.

In 2023, the pearl trade volume in Zhuji exceeded $69.48 billion, marking a 25 percent year-on-year increase. It's noteworthy that platforms such as Douyin and Taobao contribute a significant share, approximately 60-70 percent or even 70-80 percent, of all online sales.

At the Jewelry City's Douyin livestreaming base, broadcasts operated at 50 percent capacity during the first half of the Spring Festival holiday period and gradually resumed from the 6th day of the Chinese New Year.

Presently, the average daily order volume has rebounded to pre-Spring Festival levels. Meanwhile, at the Jewelry City's Taobao livestreaming base, they set a target of 13 million yuan ($1.81 million) in online sales during the Spring Festival period, a goal which has now been largely accomplished, representing a year-on-year increase of around 30 percent.