Consumption targets spur major steps

The Erqi Square in Zhengzhou hosts a flag-raising ceremony in October 2024. [Ma Jian/For China Daily]

Zhengzhou, capital of Central China's Henan province, is implementing the provincial government's decision to build the city into an international consumption center.

In 2024, the city's total retail sales of consumer goods amounted to 588.46 billion yuan ($80.82 billion). The number of its international sister cities increased to 14 and its international friendship cities increased to 34.These figures indicate a rapid growth in the city's consumption levels and internationalization efforts.

Wang Baolai, director at the Zhengzhou bureau of commerce, said that after assessing the recent efforts to build Zhengzhou into an international consumption center, local authorities have developed an action plan that specifies tasks on five key areas.

The first is high-quality consumer goods supply enhancement, which focuses on improving the supply of cultural and tourism consumer goods, and promoting the city's slogan — "The Heart of Heaven and Earth, the Hometown of the Yellow Emperor, the Kung Fu City of Zhengzhou". Second, landmark consumption scenarios focuses on creating high-quality distinctive neighborhoods and new consumption landmarks, promoting the "Zhengzhou Nightlife" consumer business card.

In addition, leading consumer brand cultivation action is to develop fashionable consumer brands as well as Zhengzhou's local characteristic brands, and create new consumer brands.

The open consumer market expansion is to enhance the international comprehensive transportation hub. It is also to strengthen the industry of conventions and exhibitions and build a famous international convention and exhibition city.

Finally, the action of creating a friendly consumer environment focuses on updating and improving consumer support service facilities, strengthening the protection of consumer rights and interests, and creating a safe and comfortable consumer environment.

Expanded scenarios

Zhengzhou has developed 10 large business districts and 22 provincial brand consumption clusters. The Erqi business district and the MixC mall have been recognized as the first national model smart business district and smart store respectively in Henan province. There are 14 comprehensive complexes exceeding 100,000 square meters in Zhengzhou. Sam's Club and Metro have also signed agreements to develop there. Dehua Street, Intime Lakeside Commercial Street, and other key developments have created 21 distinctive commercial streets with a total operating area of over 1.22 million sq m and more than 1,700 stores, attracting a daily average of more than 1 million people.

Boosting consumption

In 2024, Zhengzhou carried out a series of consumer season activities, such as Zhengzhou Nightlife, and organized more than 600 events, stimulating consumption worth more than 40 billion yuan. There are five China time-honored brands, 22 Henan time-honored brands, and well-known brands such as the Mixue Ice Cream & Tea based in the city. Livestreaming e-commerce achieved online retail sales of 52 billion yuan, accounting for 47.13 percent of the province's total. The city hosted 227 exhibition events, driving industry consumption to 32.8 billion yuan.

Internationalization

Zhengzhou has hosted internationally renowned conferences such as the Global Cross-border E-commerce Conference; the China Henan International Investment and Trade Fair; the Cooperation and Exchange Conference between Henan Province and Multinational Corporations; the International Mayor's Forum on Tourism; and other international events such as the U.I.M. F1H2O World Championship Grand Prix of Zhengzhou, China; and the Zhengzhou International Shaolin Wushu Festival.

Competitiveness

Zhengzhou, one of the eight ancient capitals of China, is an important birthplace of Chinese civilization. It has advantages in location, transportation, human resources and industrial foundation, which is helping it develop into an international consumption center. There are a number of national strategic platforms such as the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone; the Zhengzhou Area of China (Henan) Pilot Free Trade Zone; the Zhengzhou-Luoyang-Xinxiang National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone; China (Zhengzhou) Cross-border E-commerce Comprehensive Pilot Zone; and it is a part of the national big data comprehensive pilot zone.

The star-shaped high-speed rail network and Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport make the city a consumption center with a two-hour economic circle. Zhengzhou's two-hour air circle covers more than 90 percent of the population and market in China. The two-hour high-speed rail circle covers the life and consumption of 400 million people, which provide a solid platform and support for the construction of an international consumption center city.