Yiwu's foreign trade continued its robust upward trajectory in the first half of 2026, with total exports reaching 420.7 billion yuan, representing a 17.3% year-on-year increase. The data, released on August 5, confirms the city's position as an indispensable node in global small commodity trade.
Several product categories showed exceptional performance. Driven by sustained high temperatures in Europe and Southeast Asia, overseas orders for handheld fans, cooling fabrics, and portable refrigeration equipment surged. Some merchants received orders for 5,000 fans and completed delivery within ten days, demonstrating the remarkable flexibility of Yiwu's supply chain.
Traditional seasonal categories also showed strong momentum. Christmas product exports reached 2.14 billion yuan in the first half, a 20.4% year-on-year increase. Innovative products like voice-controlled lighting and dynamic decorations saw early production scheduling, with some orders fully booked months in advance.
TikTok Shop has deeply penetrated the Yiwu ecosystem, with over 60% of cross-border merchants on the platform. The platform's official consolidation warehouse processes over 100,000 orders daily. Many small commodities achieve markups of several times — even tens of times — their domestic prices in overseas markets.
The export growth comes despite significant headwinds from changing international trade policies. Yiwu's ability to maintain strong growth demonstrates the resilience and adaptability of its merchant ecosystem, which has been pivoting toward higher-value products, diversified markets, and more sophisticated logistics strategies.
