The growing assortment of foreign goods, including Spanish ham, Malaysian durians, Nepalese woolen products, and African handicrafts, is reaching Chinese consumers.
In the import market of Yiwu International Trade City, Zhejiang province, in eastern China, there are about 150,000 items from over 100 countries and regions, demonstrating the expansion of China's import landscape. As China opens its market and utilizes the potential of domestic demand, it acts as the world's 'super-buyer,' giving a new impetus to global trade and economic growth.
Historically, Yiwu, known as the world's largest wholesale market for small commodities, specialized in selling products manufactured in China globally. However, recently the city has become a gateway for goods from all over the world entering the Chinese market. Thanks to sustained growth in imports to Yiwu, the customer base has expanded to cover major Chinese markets such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Hangzhou. Now, goods, such as pigeons from Malaysia, clear customs in Yiwu in just three days, reach warehouses, and arrive at consumers in China.
In the first half of 2026, Yiwu's total external trade volume reached 486.42 billion yuan ($72.5 billion), an increase of 19.9% compared to the previous year, with imports rising by 39.1% to 65.7 billion yuan ($9.8 billion).
Hainan's policy promotes increased imports
Further south, the island province of Hainan, China, is also seeing an increase in imports due to the implementation of new policies and improved logistics infrastructure. After launching provincial-wide independent customs operations in December 2025, the share of goods falling under the province's 'zero tariff' policy was increased to 74%, and the number of non-duty categories expanded to over 6,600.
These policy advantages have contributed to the growth of both consumer spending and imports. In the first seven months of 2026, duty-free offshore sales in Hainan reached 21.6 billion yuan ($3.2 billion), an increase of 17.9% compared to the same period last year, thereby stimulating warehouse storage and turnover of imported goods. Meanwhile, by the end of July, the volume of imports under the zero tariff rate reached 3.624 billion yuan ($540.4 million), an increase of 40.14% compared to last year, with 598 million yuan ($89.2 million) being tax-exempt.
With the addition of three new international trade routes, the Yangpu port in the Yangpu Economic Zone, Hainan, now has a total of 38 ports to handle growing volumes of fresh produce from Southeast Asia, strengthening its role as a key distribution hub for imported goods.
Behind this growth is a faster and optimized customs clearance system. Haikou Customs has carried out a series of institutional reforms to improve customs efficiency, including simplified procedures for goods covered by zero tariff and warehousing conditions. The number of items required in customs declarations has been reduced from 105 to 33, and the average customs clearance time for imports has decreased by 20%. For companies importing raw materials from countries such as Indonesia and South Africa, simplified procedures allow goods to be released almost immediately after declaration, significantly reducing logistics costs. As barriers weaken and supply chains accelerate, Hainan is becoming another important gateway connecting foreign producers with China's vast consumer market.
China's automotive industry attracts global suppliers
Beyond consumer goods, China's role as a 'super-buyer' is also evident in high-tech manufacturing. Chinese automakers have become key clients for global auto parts suppliers, which deepens ties between domestic manufacturers and international industrial chains.
On August 23, Christophe Perilla, CEO of French automotive supplier Valeo, led a senior management team to China to seek new business opportunities in the market. Over the past five years, Valeo has invested a cumulative 26 billion yuan ($3.88 billion) in China, adapting to the country's rapidly changing market, technological innovations, and price advantages. More than 80% of the group's new orders in the first half of this year came from Chinese automakers.
In an interview with CMG, Perilla compared the Chinese automotive market to a 'gym' for the global automotive industry, noting that it 'combines the highest level of innovation, the strongest competitiveness, and the fastest pace.' He added that 'to stay ahead in such a market, companies have to stay fit. For Valeo, this means becoming more localized and a company that better understands China.'