China: China's small commodities hub transformed into dynamic "global shopping cart" for imported goods.

Storyline China's small commodities hub transformed into dynamic "global shopping cart" for imported goods The eastern Chinese city of Yiwu, where foreigners come to buy Chinese-made small commodities, is transforming into an import shopping destination for locals, who are eager to sample exotic goods. At the Yiwu Imported Commodities Mall, the shelves tell a global story with things like Spanish ham, Malaysian durians, Nepalese wool felt, and African handicrafts. This merchant who mainly sells Malaysian products, says improved customs efficiency has transformed her business. Zhu Ke, merchant： "People used to think the supply chain for edible bird's nests was long and complex, thus it was difficult to import. But now, it only takes as fast as three days to deliver the delicacy from our factory in Malaysia, through the Yiwu customs department, to our bonded warehouse, and finally to the customer. Malaysian Musang King durians can now go straight from the orchard to consumers' doorsteps in just 24 hours." The wide range of imported goods is meeting growing demand among Chinese consumers for more diverse and personalized products. Customer: "I bought a Nepalese scarf, Russian chocolate, and honey." Jin Jian, merchant: "The designs, styles, and colors of these imported products are unique and novel, which is why consumers, especially the younger generation, love them. Overall, our import business is on a steady upward trend." The numbers confirm the new trend in Yiwu. In the first half of the year, Yiwu's total import and export value reached about 72 billion U.S. dollars-up nearly 20 percent from the same period last year. The amount of imports also surged with the value hitting 9.8 billion U.S. dollars, a 39 percent annual increase. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]