Chinese Premier Li Keqiang paid a visit to Zheijiang Province's Qingyanliu, the leading village in China's e-commerce industry, on Nov. 19 to show the public that the central government sees online retailing as a significant part in China's efforts to boost the slow economy.
Li mentioned that even though the e-commerce sector revolves around the virtual world, it still has a significant impact on the country's economy. His statement was made after he visited the village in Yiwu where he conversed with online vendors, couriers and suppliers.
Li talked with wash bag maker and supplier Tong Zhida, who started his business in 2001 after graduating from college. Tong told Li that he was a farmer's son and that all of his workers also hail from rural regions.
Tong mentioned that he quit his first job as a factory worker to sell different goods. He also said that Yiwu is a good place for businesses.
The Qingyanliu village in Yiwu does not look like a rural area as it is filled with freight trucks driving on asphalt roads. The whole area of the village is covered by a wireless network that provides free Internet funded by the government.
Over 2,800 online stores with annual revenues of 4 billion yuan is based in Qingyanliu. Every year, more than 4 million packages are shipped from Qingyanliu to be delivered to domestic and international destinations.
Macro projection department director Niu Li from the State Information Center said that the government's interest in e-commerce is already expected as information and communication firms see continued growth for the economy.
Niu said that it is natural that the government is supporting e-commerce as traditional industries are now facing obstacles.
Chief economist Fan Jianping from the center said that the growth of the e-commerce industry is in line with China's new reform programs which support the online industry and private companies.