Across China: "World's supermarket" embraces foreign trade talents

HANGZHOU, (Xinhua) -- In a city long famed as the "world's supermarket," foreign businesspeople are no longer just visitors -- they are being officially recognized as vital drivers of China's future development.
Yiwu City, a bustling hub in east China's Zhejiang Province that trades with over 230 countries and regions, has launched China's first standardized system for formally certifying foreign trade talents.
The pilot program, launched in June, marks a shift away from traditional talent criteria that focus solely on education or technical credentials, instead rewarding foreign entrepreneurs for their real-world business contributions.
Under the new guidelines, any foreign national with a valid work permit and a registered company in Yiwu can be classified as A or B-level talent if they meet key performance metrics, such as import-export volume, job creation, or long-term local operations.