YIWU, Zhejiang - In the first quarter of 2026, Yiwu's total import and export value surpassed 200 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 25%, according to customs data. Exports to ASEAN countries surged 68.3%, while exports to Africa jumped 47.3%. This robust performance came despite the US maintaining tariffs as high as 145% on Chinese goods.
Data shows that in the full year 2025, Yiwu's exports grew 24%, and in the first two months of 2026 alone, exports leaped 53% year-on-year. The core driver behind this growth is a structural shift in customer base: buyers from emerging global markets have replaced the United States as Yiwu's largest customer group.
As the world's largest small commodities wholesale hub, Yiwu hosts over 80,000 merchant booths across 8 million square meters of trading space, offering nearly 2.1 million product varieties to buyers from over 230 countries and regions. The city's resilience against tariff pressures demonstrates the indispensable role of Chinese manufacturing in global supply chains.
Source: Sina Finance, Baijiahao, 2026
