Expats perform a dance show at the 2020 Spring Festival Gala in Yiwu, Zhejiang province on Jan 8. [Photo/zgyww.cn]

The 2020 Spring Festival Gala for the Chinese and Foreigners kicked off in Yiwu, East China's Zhejiang province on Jan 8.

Over 150 expats and overseas Chinese from 51 countries and regions took part, deepened friendship, and shared their ideas on building Yiwu, the world top wholesale market of small commodities, into a pilot international city.

The gala was jointly organized by Yiwu's foreign affairs office, culture and sports bureau, culture association, overseas Chinese association, and the Yiwu Industrial and Commercial College to promote in-depth connection between foreign businessmen and local people.

Expats receive awards for their outstanding contributions to Yiwu's development. [Photo/zgyww.cn]

Yiwu receives more than 550,000 overseas buyers and sells commodities to more than 210 countries and regions every year. On a daily basis, there are around 30,000 foreign purchasers in Yiwu, half of whom live in hotels while the other half live in the city as permanent residents.

The municipal government has made continuous efforts in improving the well-being of expats in Yiwu.

Each year, the local legislature invites more than 10 foreigners to attend its annual session and welcomes their input in the city's social governance. Many foreigners have also joined voluntary blood donations and taken part in community activities, including taking care of the elderly and mediating foreign related disputes.