SOURCE / ECONOMY
By Global Times Published: Apr 27, 2021 09:33 PM
A Yemeni trader selects teapots while communicating with his Saudi Arabian client via video link at the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu city of east China s Zhejiang Province, Jan. 14, 2021. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)
All of China s provincial-level areas, except for Northeast China s Jilin and Southwest China s Tibet Autonomous Region, which have yet to report their figures, recorded double-digit GDP growth in the first quarter, according to statistics released as of Tuesday.
The robust growth rates across the country further underscored a full-fledged recovery for the Chinese economy from the COVID-19 pandemic, with most industries returning to or exceeding pre-pandemic levels. However, the growth pace may slow to normal levels in the second half of the year, an economist warned.
Foreign trade still flourishes at World s Supermarket Yiwu chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2021-01-15 11:31 Share CLOSE A Yemeni merchant chooses teapots and introduces the price and stock of a teapot to a customer from Saudi Arabia in the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, East China s Zhejiang province, on Jan 14, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]
Dubbed the World s Supermarket , Yiwu in East China s Zhejiang province has witnessed the resilience and vitality of China s foreign trade economy.
The city has seen well-coordinated COVID-19 prevention and economic development and has also accelerated the active transformation in the face of the impact of the epidemic.
From January to November 2020, the total value of imports and exports in foreign trade in Yiwu was 285.99 billion yuan ($44.2 billion), up 6.9 percent compared with the same period in 2019, according to customs statistics.
A merchant shows a banner written business booming at her shop in the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, East China s Zhejiang province, Feb 18, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]
In response to the impact on economic and social development brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, Zhejiang province s Yiwu－sometimes referred to as the world s factory －took numerous measures to help local companies weather uncertainties while keeping employment stable.
On Feb 16, shortly after the Spring Festival holiday, Yiwu released several new policies to help companies recruit employees and encourage existing employees to return to work. Incentives were provided to companies that sent chartered buses to ferry employees back to Yiwu. Individuals who went back to work by themselves also received financial incentives.