Yiwu International Trade Market, the world’s leading small commodities market in east China’s Zhejiang Province, was reopened to customers from all around the world Tuesday morning.
The market usually opens on the 12th day of the first month on the Chinese lunar calendar after the Spring Festival holiday. However, the opening date was postponed for nearly two weeks this year for coronavirus epidemic prevention.
Purchasers and merchants have been assigned QR codes after submitting an online application. Purchasers should scan the codes of the merchants that they visit to record their tracks in the market.
These QR codes, along with face recognition technology and high-definition cameras, have been adopted to follow all personnel’s tracks in the market.
As of 5 p.m. Sunday, applications of 54,679 merchants, employees and purchasers have been authorized online.
Catering, accommodation, foreign trade services, logistics, customs clearance, finance and other supporting services will also resume to ensure operations of the market back to normal.
On Tuesday morning, with authorized QR codes and valid identity cards, merchants wearing masks entered the market after passing body temperature tests.
Zhang Xiaoai is one of the merchants. “Although online communication has become a main way of our communication with customers, the shops in the market are still important windows for displaying our products,” Zhang said.
On Tuesday, an estimated 50 percent of merchants returned to business, and the share may rise to 80 percent by the end of this month, according to Zhang Qizhen, deputy general manager of Zhejiang China Commodities City Group.
In order to provide services for merchants and better carry out epidemic prevention and control, the local government has decided to rent 40,000 hotel beds in the city for returned merchants who lack accomodation.
“Only when the market in Yiwu prospers can hotels, restaurants and other sectors in Yiwu develop,” said Wu Jinming, general manager of Zhejiang Yindu Hotel Management Co., Ltd.
Hotels have also update overseas merchants with the latest information on epidemic control and work resumption in Yiwu and other parts of China before the opening of the market, said Wang Ming, reception manager of Yiwu Ocean Hotel.
“China has done a good job in the epidemic control work and the exchange of information is very smooth. I’m confident that … everything will be back on track,” said Veronica, a Mexican merchant.
