Yiwu is the world’s largest commodity circulation center and exhibition center. The administrative level is still a county level city, but you will find foreigners almost everywhere when you are walking in the streets. And according to the statistics figures of Foreign Economic & Trade Department and the Industry & Commerce Department, at present the number of the overseas residential person has reached more than 11000, including 2124 foreign enterprises representative offices which are from 85 countries and regions all over the world. The reporter learned from the the police that at present, the number of Yiwu foreign residential people has largely exceeded the number of Hangzhou and Ningbo (two deputy provincial cities), and it ranks the top in Zhejiang Province.

Tens of years ago, if Yiwu people see a foreigner in the street, they will normally be surprised to look back. While today, Yiwu commodity city has attracted more and more foreigners to come to this small magic city.

It is reported that in 2009, Yiwu public security bureau entry-exit administration issued 17612 visas. And it was the third year followed by 2007 and 2008 when the number exceeded that of Hangzhou and Ningbo. In addition, in 2009, the registered number of foreign people who came to Yiwu for tourism, businesses or visiting relatives was 317751. And these people are from 203 countries. The growth reached 19.52% compared with the same period of 2008.

And to the statistics figures, at present, the number of the overseas residential people is more than 11000, including 2124 foreign enterprises representative offices which are from 85 countries and regions.

Because of the cluster of foreigners, “exotic amorous feelings street”, “the United Nations communities” and so on have emerged in this city. After years of business discipline and life accumulation, many foreigners can speak Chinese, even speak yiwu local dialect, they have been deeply involved in yiwu city.

Yiwu foreign company sector exceeded 3000

According to Yiwu goverment statistics, there are currently more than 13,000 permanent Yiwu foreign company departments. By of the end of 2010, the number of resident offices of Yiwu foreign company has reached 3008, which ranked the first in all counties of China.

Yiwu has a well-known commodity market, it was called “the world’s largest small commodity wholesale market” in a report released by the United Nations, the World Bank and Morgan Stanley.

Jordanian businessman Mohamed Bata run a Rep. business office in China famous commodity city Yiwu.,doing artificial crafts business.Every week there are goods sent from here to the Middle East market.

“All the goods that Jordan market needed can be found in Yiwu. Yiwu market not only has fair prices, but also ensure on time delivery and quality” Bata told reporters, “This is the reason why I choose to set up representive office to purchase goods in Yiwu. ”

Currently, the direct and indirect transactions on Yiwu Small Commodity market is over 30 billion US dollars and Yiwu goods has exported to 215 countries and territories worldwide. In the whole year of 2010, the number of small commodity exported has reached 576,000 TEUs under Yiwu customs supervision, which increase 57,000 TEUs over the previous year.

Among the 3008 Yiwu foreign company representative offices, there are almost 80% rep. offices that come from Asian countries, and another 10% come from African countries. In addition, there are rep. offices from Europe, America and Oceania. From the view of country and region, they are mainly from Pakistan, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Korea, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, India, Hong Kong and other countries and regions,and the number of Yiwu foreign company representative offices is still increasing.