This is life 5: City of Yiwu

21/05/2006

Passing by the Thousand Island Lake or Qiandao Hu; famous for fast and furious waves that drag struggling people with it. Just as China's urban development try to swallow every available land.

It was a 1.5 hour ride to a nearby city of Yiwu. This city is famous for the massive loads of manufactured daily goods. From chopping boards, to candles and to stationary. It seems that at least 10% of the stuff that can be found in the house, originates from this city, allowing this city to prosper; there are loads of BMWs on the roads. This city has also been gaining much public attention recently including an article featuring Yiwu in the local newspaper as well.

Along the way, there are huge advertisement signboards, all ready to change your perception of taste, style and what is good. If one does not have any impression or any positive impression of China products, this is the journey that can completely change one's mind. It is everywhere and there is no escape.

The arrival in Yiwu shows that it is like most Chinese cities, layered with traffic and bicycles. However, there laid really large amount of factories and shops along the streets instead of offices.

Seriously, the goods here are real cheap. For example, a decorative candle can cost only one-tenth of what can be found in Singapore. However, most store owners only sell in wholesale volume. So unless one is here to do business, buying stuff is not quite possible. There are many traders, including locals, Caucasians and Arabians exchanging name cards and doing business here. Suddenly, there was this sense of nostalgia of multi-cultural Singapore.

Locals of Yiwu are said to be fierce, rude and aggressive. There was a fierce argument over the prices between two trading partners and that the owner finally decide not to sell anything. Yet, there was this hearty side where locals engage in an afternoon game of chess or cards.

One of these factory is probably manufacturing the next year's supply of socks for the whole of Singapore. It is said that one in every eight pair of socks that exist in this world, comes from this city. Imagine the might of this city, the might of this country.