On October 19, during an interview in Yiwu, a Yemeni entrepreneur named Yang Ming expressed his aspirations in the world of e-commerce. “China’s e-commerce is well-known, and I’m one of its consumers. In the future, I hope to learn more about it and transition from being a buyer to a seller,” he shared.

Yang was among nearly a hundred international youths participating in the “Future Careers” event, held in conjunction with a special training seminar on cross-border e-commerce in Yiwu. This initiative aimed to provide insights into global trade practices.

According to Wei Xuan, a counselor for international students at Zhejiang Normal University, “We have 45 international students participating in this training. Many of their parents have been involved in foreign trade in Zhejiang for decades. Learning about trending topics like cross-border e-commerce and overseas warehouses is essential for these students as they prepare to take on roles in these industries.”

The cross-border e-commerce training program combines entrepreneurial incubation, cultural exchange, and specialized courses. Throughout the training, participants had the opportunity to visit key locations such as the Yiwu International Trade City and the Biyuan Street e-commerce industry park to gain firsthand knowledge of product production, sales, and international trade processes.

Xu Yan, president of the Yiwu Cross-Border E-commerce Association, highlighted the association’s commitment, stating, “We conduct hundreds of training sessions every year, providing a one-stop service for cross-border e-commerce businesses and cultivating talent across the entire industry chain.” The association has established various departments focused on employment services, platform integration, intellectual property compliance, event planning, cross-border logistics, and supply chain integration, ensuring regular talent training and entrepreneurial support.

Yiwu’s extensive network, which spans over 230 countries and regions with more than 2.1 million products, continually attracts global business interest. In April of this year, local officials set a goal to train over 10,000 cross-border e-commerce talents annually to promote digital trade and bolster foreign trade growth.

Recent data indicates that Yiwu is home to more than 650,000 e-commerce businesses, with cross-border e-commerce comprising 40% of this total. The city processes a vast number of packages each year destined for international markets, with leading platforms like Amazon and AliExpress establishing regional service centers in the area. In the first nine months of this year, Yiwu’s cross-border e-commerce transaction volume reached 106.52 billion yuan, marking a year-over-year increase of 16.52%.