General Situation of Yiwu

History

Yiwu lies in the center of Zhejiang province, covers total area of 1,105 sq. km. with permanent population of 0.67 million and temporary resident population of 0.54 million. Yiwu has long history, emperor Yinzheng set up Wushang County in 222B.C., it was changed to Yiwu in 624A.D., then turned county into city in 1988.

Yiwu enjoys the title of “ Hometown of Culture”, there are many famous peoples in history such as Mr. Luo Binwang, one of the “Outstanding Four Litterateurs of Tang Dynasty” , Mr. Zong Ze, famous general of Song Dynasty, Mr. Zhu Danxi, one of four famous doctors of Jin Yuan, Mr. Chen Wangdao, latter-day educationalist, Mr. Wu Han, the historian etc. Yiwu governs 5 subdistrct offices as Choucheng, Choujiang, Beiyuan, Jiangdong, Houzhai and 8 towns as Dachen, Suxi, Niansanli, Chengxi, Shangxi, Yiting, Futang, Chi'an.

Physical Geography

Yiwu situates in the east of Jinqu Base, east longitude of 119°49'-- 120°17', north latitude 29°02'13"--29°33'40", it is in the geography center of Zhejiang, neighbors Dongyang in east, nears Yongkang and Wuyi in south, links Jinhua and Lanxi in west, connects with Zhuji and Pujiang in north, more than 100 km away from Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang. The east, south, and north of the city is surrounded by mountain, the length from south to north is 58.15 km, and the width from east to west is 44.41 km. With low mountains, hills, hillocks and plains, there are various agrotypes and rich solar resource.
Yiwu belongs to medium subtropical monsoon climate with warm and humid, the average annual temperature is about 17℃, the highest average temperature is 29.3℃ in July and the lowest is 4.2℃ in January. Annual average no-frost period is about 243 days, annual average precipitation amount is among 1100-1600 mm.

General power

Yiwu carries out the tactic of “construct city by prospering commerce”, pioneers a characteristic way -- develop region economy leading by commerce and trade.
In 2002, the gross domestic products reached 15.6 billion yuan, the financial income reached 1.66 billion yuan, the deposit balance of financial institution is 28.92 billion yuan, the general social economy development index was listed to the 19th among national counties and cities. The bargain volume of China Commodity City which enjoys the title of “ The First City in China” stands the 1st for 12 years running.

Economy

The economy of Yiwu maintains swiftly developing momentum, account by comparable price, in 2002, the gross domestic products increased 13.6% compared with previous year. The industrial structure was further optimized, the proportion of tertiary industries is 4.9: 51.1:44. The commerce and trade industries are persistently prosperous, the turnover in commodity market reached 26.5 billion, include 23 billion from China Commodity Market, the increase rate is 9.8% and 8.4%.
Garment, knitting hosiery, ornament, zipper, wool spinning, hardware, artware and stationery are the most advanced industries of Yiwu, the gross output occupies 40% of gross industrial output value.

The industry development is very prosperous, the each industrial area of 100sq. km. respectively in north and south of Yiwu is under programming. The total developed area of reached 35sq.km, accelerated the rapid development of garment, ornament etc, the production investment is enlarging, in 2002, the technic investment was 1.86 billion, the actual introducing foreign investment is increased 105.5% compared to same period of previous year. The total industry gross output reached 33.1 billion, increased 16.5% compared to same period of previous year.

The agriculture of Yiwu obtained obvious achievement, the proportion of foodstuff and economy is 46:54, the area of economy crop reached 120,000 Mou and the proportion of cultured industry raised to 32.2%. The step of technological agriculture is also quickened, there are 14 seed and sapling bases. Successfully held 2002 Zhejiang Agriculture Fair with 5.8 billion of trade volume. The modern agriculture is stably developing, founded more than 40,000 Mou standard farmland, basically finished water resource facilities such as satellite reservoir.
Market Construction

The commerce and trade is the lifeline of Yiwu economy. China Commodity Market is world famous by large scale and plentiful goods, the business area is more than 1 million sq.m., with more than 40,000 booths, more than 80,000 sellers and workers and more than 200,000 persons of daily flow, the market gathers 28 categories and over 200,000 goods, the daily throughput is near ten thousand Ton. China Yiwu International Trade City, Huangyuan Market, Binwang Market and Knitting Market keep the prosperity.

Now, Yiwu is quickening the construction step of China Yiwu International Trade City, the programming area is 32.4 sq.km. which can hold 40,000 dealers, it becomes the professional market groups with international top-grade scale, appearance, facility, service etc, is the symbol building of international trade city.

Yiwu is endowed as the international center of commodity circulation by the locating of top grade wholesale market, advanced market chain and powerful radiation function.

Yiwu devotes to construct herself into an International Commodity Center providing lowest cost, best credit, fastest information, latest measurement and the best service by the policy of “foreign trade leading, trade and industry linking, brand driving, mass pushing and government promoting”.
Opening to the outside world.

In recent years, Yiwu insists on strategy of “ introducing in and going out, foreign trade leading”, enlarge opening to outside world. The economic extraversion of Yiwu is greatly lifting by this way, Yiwu becomes the main base of China commodity production, export and foreigner's purchase. The export trade develops rapidly by energetically carrying on foreign trade main body, trade mode, export market and products diversification. In 2002, the total social export volume reached 1.5 billion, increase 25% comparing with same period of previous year, include self-support export volume USD0.39 billion, increased 90%.

Set up foreign affairs agency and facilities as customs, international logistic center, foreign service center, strengthen the service to foreigners, meanwhile, start up development and construction of foreigner investment park and receive good effect related to business invitation and capital introduction. Actively encourage and support enterprise to introduce new equipment and technology, improve international competitive power of commodity manufacturing. The relation with home and international is closer, the exchange and cooperation with foreign economy, technology and culture is more frequent.
There are general agencies of over 4000 famous enterprises are gathering in Yiwu market, more than 170 commercial representative offices from more than 30 countries such as U.S.A., Japan, Sweden, Korea etc. At present, the commodities of Yiwu are exported to five continents including 180 odd countries and regions. Also Yiwu set up 30 sub-markets in Gansu, Sichuan, Shanxi, Xinjiang, Qinghai, South Africa, Ukraine etc.

Since 1995, Yiwu holds China Commodity Fair once a year, in 2002, it was promoted as International Commodity Fair, which was organized by Ministry of State Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and Zhejiang People’s Government, the scale is enlarged one after another, the trade volume is higher, its features of economy and trade, extraversion and actual effect is obvious enhanced while the grade, extraversion degree and reputation are greatly improved.

In 2002, China Yiwu International Commodity Fair attracted over 1100 enterprises from 20 odd countries to attend. The business volume reached 5.102 billion, include USD0.258 billion of export order volume, increased 16.6% and 28.4% respectively compared with same period of previous year. The investors from 11 countries of U.S.A., Japan, Italy, Korea etc. signed 25 investment projects, the total investment and usage of foreign capital were increased 86.4% and 179.4%.

Life in City and Town

In 2002, income of Yiwu urban and rural residents were obviously increased, per capita spendable income of urban residents reached RMB12,741 yuan, increased 10.9%, per capital net income of peasant reached 5688 yuan, increased 6.4%.

The total retail amount of social consumables achieved 4.63 billion yuan, increased 12%, the outstanding of deposits from financial institution was 28.92 billion yuan, increased 30.5%, the balance of loans was 16.5 billion yuan, increased 37.7%.

The diffusion rate of fixed telephone in whole city arrived at 54.7 per 100 people, the total quantity of mobile telephones increased 0.403 million, and Internet registered users reached 46279. The civil construction area reached 38sq.km, the population reached 0.43 million, the urbanization rate exceeded 55%.
Social Project

In recent years, a huge group of municipal and social projects such as Meihu Exhibition & Sports Center, Xiuhu Square, New Yiwu Middle School, Sewage Farm which daily deals 70,000 ton sewage, Jiangbin Green Belt are finished and put into use. Also Civil Central Hospital is under urgent construction.

In all ages, Yiwu is famous for culture and persons of outstanding ability. In 2002, the investment of education reached 0.55 billion yuan, which not only popularized nine years’ compulsory education with high standard, but also solved the school problem for 5000 odd immigration children. Yiwu built up the first local university--Yiwu Professional Academy of Industrial and Commercial Technology, train and reeducate for near ten thousand of businessmen and foreign trade personnel in Yiwu.

In order to advance culture's industrialization course, the important infrastructure around Culture Square including Technology Museum, Library, Art Museum, Museum etc are under construction; the community and square culture activities are developing with vivid and dramatic, the mass sports and the medical service is under popularly development.

Shopping & Tourism

According to statistics, in 2002, about 1.64 million visitors came to Yiwu for tourism and shopping, the total income reached more than 0.2 billion yuan. The commodity market is the best choice for tourist by abundant merchandise, good quality and low price. In Yiwu, you can “ Buy Anything You Want To Buy”

When the small commodity is mostly favored, the tourist industry in Yiwu is developing like a raising sun. The 15 years general tourist programming for long, middle and short terms, as well the corresponded development system is established. Yiwu is vigorously developing recreational tourism, sightseeing tourism and culture tourism, while perfecting service system therefore create the largest global supermarket and international shopping paradise. Furthermore, Yiwu is quickening sight spots construction as History Long River and Jiangnan Ecotypic Park. Yiwu is much more beautified by the newly built spots like Xiuhu Square, Xiuhu Park, Jimingshan Park, Xiaozici Park, Meihu Exhibition & Sports Center and so on.

Development Prospect

The struggle aim of Yiwu is: three steps, octupling, striving for top 10, to construct international trade city. The first step is up to 2005, take the lead in basically realizing modernization in whole province, economical foreign-oriented degree obviously increase, per person GDP reaches above US$3200, move ahead the place of national city social compositive development index and to lay a base for international trade city construction.

The second step up to 2010: Social economical development level reaches medium developed country level, per person GDP is over US$6000, shoot at national top 15 cities for social compositive development index, basically establish the position as international small commodity circulation center, manufacture center, R & D center, forms international trade city. The third step up to 2020: Social economic development reaches more level, per person GDP is above US$15000, octupling that of 2000, social economy general index strives to be in top 10 city at home. Fully boost economy internationalization, city modernization, urban and rural integration, social civilization and scientific leading, become the popular international commodity city.

Fully carry out economic internationalization, urban modernization, urban and rural combination, social civilization and scientific leading, to become a powerful international trade city.