YIWU, China, March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Yiwu International Trade City resumed operations on February 28, following the Lunar New Year holiday, with 80,000 shops welcoming buyers from around the world. 

At 8:00 a.m., nine major markets opened simultaneously, including the Global Digital Trade Center; Districts 1–5 of Yiwu International Trade City; the International Production Materials Market; Huangyuan Garment Market; and Binwang 158 Cultural & Creative Park (indoor section). Merchants opened their doors to a steady flow of domestic and international buyers.

During the holiday closure, many Yiwu merchants were far from idle. Calls from long-time clients and online inquiries never stopped, and numerous merchants had already secured production orders for the first month of the new year. On reopening day, as soon as shop shutters rolled up, waves of customers and orders followed. Merchants greeted buyers while urgently coordinating factory schedules to meet demand. The entire market buzzed with energy, productivity, and festive cheer.

From "holiday order accumulation" to "opening-day order surges," the world's small commodities capital has kicked off the year at full sprint, launching a new chapter of global trade.

Record-Breaking Foot Traffic on Opening Day

According to visitor statistics from Yiwu China Commodities City, offline foot traffic on reopening day reached a record high, marking the strongest Spring Festival opening performance in history.

In District 1 of Yiwu International Trade City, a buyer from Dubai, known as Dong, waited early outside a familiar supplier's shop.

"I've been doing business in Yiwu for eight years. This year I arrived a week early. Today, I'm signing orders for 30 containers to be shipped to Middle Eastern countries," he said.

Dong was far from alone. Southeast Asian buyers toured hardware suppliers in groups, European purchasers focused on trendy cultural and creative products, while African buyers showed strong interest in home goods. With merchants and buyers from across the globe converging, Yiwu's market atmosphere hit peak levels from day one.

3.879 Million Livestream Views Online

While offline traffic surged, online engagement was equally dynamic. Chinagoods, the official digital platform of the Yiwu market, livestreamed the grand reopening, attracting over 3.879 million cumulative views.

Beyond livestreaming, buyers accessed the Chinagoods platform directly to browse products, request quotations, and place orders through a fully digitalized process—truly enabling global sourcing without leaving home.

Over 30,000 New Products Launched

On reopening day, Chinagoods recorded a surge in new product listings. Merchants used the holiday period to refine product portfolios and prepare new designs. More than 30,000 new SKUs were uploaded to the platform.

New offerings ranged from Year of the Horse-themed merchandise and fashion accessories to smart home products and daily consumer goods, drawing international buyers to compare prices and place bulk orders.

At the same time, Yiwu's AI large-model system saw increased usage across its 14 application scenarios, including AI-assisted product design, AI-generated content and traffic management for independent e-commerce sites.

Merchants Report Strong First-Day Sales

Reopening day translated quickly into confirmed orders for many businesses.

At the Global Digital Trade Center, a toy merchant reported securing orders exceeding RMB 1 million within a single day. The merchant said long-term clients had continued placing orders during the holiday, and demand accelerated once the market officially reopened.

The Spring Festival Gala earlier showcased Yiwu's vitality to a broad audience, while the market reopening marked a new round of commercial activity.

As 2026 marks the opening year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan period, Yiwu continues to strengthen its role as both a domestic consumption hub and an important global sourcing center. Leveraging digital trade capabilities, the city is advancing toward a higher level of global supply integration.