“圣诞老人”松了口气，小商品基地义乌不惧贸易战

圣诞老人的家乡也许不在北极，而在中国东部的一座城，义乌。

闻名遐迩的小商品批发基地义乌“承包”了全球近80% 的圣诞商品，在这里，圣诞老人可以找到他想要的一切。

中美贸易战下，义乌的圣诞产品销售额不减反增。根据义乌海关的统计，义乌今年一到十月份销售的圣诞商品总计达到19.2亿元，比去年同期增长了23.9%。

究竟是什么给了这座 “圣诞用品工厂”逆流前进的底气？

A diversified shopping line

新兴市场逐渐取代“老客户”

Trump's trade war with China has been going on for 22 months. Goods affected range from footwear to dishwashers. Some worried it would bring risks to Yiwu International Trade Market, which is the world's largest wholesale market and where the dollar stores get their goods from.  

A human sized Santa Claus doll in Yiwu International Trade Market, December 17, 2019. /CGTN Photo

"It didn't affect us a lot," said Jiang Jiangping, who has been selling Christmas clothes since 2003 in the Yiwu market. He said his American clients are quite persistent. 

"They ordered the same amount as usual."

Jiang told CGTN his customers are from all over the world. In recent years, he has seen a decrease in orders and buyers from Europe, but a rapid increase from Southeast Asia.

"About 30 percent of our products are sold in Southeast Asia," said the vendor. "Our sales to the Phillipines and Thailand are good."

Quality and price: Two things buyers always look for

质量、价格，顾客永远看重性价比

“在这里，你可以找到任何你需要的、你想象的、甚至超出你想象的东西。”在义乌商贸城里寻找商品的土耳其商人小吴（Umut Ankara）告诉CGTN记者。 

Turkish entrepreneur Umut Ankara talking to a vendor in Yiwu International Trade Market, December 18, 2019. /CGTN Photo

小吴三年前来到义乌并创办了自己的贸易公司，他看到义乌商贸城的产品质量在一点点地进步。

“中国现在变得越来越安全……商品也大同小异，它们的质量在一点点地提升。”

不同于小吴，每年都会来义乌三四次的巴基斯坦采购员KK Khan说，商贸城的产品质量相比之前有了质的飞跃。

KK第一次来义乌是1998年，他和小吴都讲着流利的汉语，也都有着自己经常光顾的店面。

“质量好，价格低”是KK对义乌商品的评价，在一家KK已经光顾13年的手工花店里，店老板告诉记者，最开始是自己的母亲给KK供货，这几年“新老接替”，她成了新的“供应商”。

Never compromise on quality of goods

薄利多销，产品上绝不马虎

"Low price, big returns" is the motto of Yiwu businesspeople who highly value honesty. 

The International Trade Market has 75,000 vendors, and more than 400 of them sell Christmas-related goods. To survive in such a tough competition, integrity is the key.  

A man moving his cart in Yiwu International Trade Market. /CGTN Photo

"We never compromise on our goods," said Jiang. He continued saying if he made the material "a little bit thinner or a little bit lighter," he would make huge profits and people won't even tell any difference, but he never does that.

"It will destroy our own business reputation."

Moreover, Christmas decor vendor Jiang Xiaolan has been innovating her products. She added lights to her Christmas-themed ornaments.

"We didn't have this technology before," she said. "We only had plastic or fiberglass ornaments."

Yiwu International Trade Market. /CGTN screenshot

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