[Positive Reviews of China] Long-term support for the "annual economy," transforming short-term booms into a "prosperous year-round."
As the Spring Festival approaches, the festive atmosphere is growing stronger across China, and the "New Year economy" is sweeping through urban and rural areas with great momentum. From the bustling crowds at the more than 1,800 stalls at the Nanzuo Market in Shijiazhuang, Hebei, to the daily trading volume of 12,000 tons and transaction value exceeding 100 million yuan at the Hongxing Global Agricultural Wholesale Center in Changsha, Hunan; from the counter-trend growth in the Fuzhou fruit market to the city-wide shopping frenzy of the Spring Festival Carnival in Chengdu, markets across the country are experiencing booming sales and overflowing crowds. The "New Year economy" is not only creating a vibrant atmosphere but also unleashing strong consumer vitality, injecting a powerful driving force into the Chinese economy for a strong start to the new year.
For the Spring Festival economy to maintain its momentum, the key lies in focusing precisely on "quality upgrades." Spring Festival goods are not only a carrier of the ritualistic significance of the holiday but also a direct reflection of consumption upgrades. Today, consumers are no longer satisfied with simply having Spring Festival goods; they seek high-quality goods. This upgrading demand is the core driving force behind market iteration. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has deployed its Spring Festival and New Year's Day promotional efforts under the theme of "Tasting Local Specialties and Finding the Flavor of the New Year." Through measures such as releasing a directory of local specialty brands, organizing large-scale Spring Festival markets, and conducting live-streaming sales events, green and high-quality agricultural products are smoothly reaching households and overseas markets. For example, the Lanzhou New Area Flower Base, leveraging its unique natural conditions at an altitude of 1900 meters, cultivates high-quality fresh-cut roses with full petals and a long shelf life. These roses are sold in over 70 cities across China and overseas markets through an "online + offline" model, winning market favor through quality. Localities should seize the opportunity to promote the improvement of the quality and efficiency of local agricultural products and handicrafts and explore regional characteristic resources. On the other hand, they should continue to optimize the supply chain system, break through the "last mile" from the fields and factories to people's tables, and ensure that high-quality supply accurately meets quality demand, so as to leverage consumption upgrades to drive the market to continue to heat up.
For the economy to truly "warm up" this year, the key lies in tapping into its potential through "scenario innovation." Releasing consumer vitality has always relied on down-to-earth and innovative consumption scenarios. Ningxia's Jingui Market has moved its vendors from open-air stalls into a spacious and clean hall, expanding parking lots and adding convenient facilities, so that locals no longer have to wade through muddy roads or worry about parking. Taizhou, Zhejiang, launched a new "food + performance" New Year's Eve dinner model, allowing families to enjoy a reunion dinner while watching performances on the ancient street. Themed restaurants in Hangzhou and Wenzhou saw a surge in bookings, with out-of-town tourists' reservations increasing by 40%. Shanxian's Yellow River Market further integrates local delicacies such as mutton soup and oven-baked flatbread with intangible cultural heritage skills like straw weaving and paper cutting, as well as folk activities such as gong and drum performances, imbuing the lively atmosphere with a rich cultural flavor. Scene innovation should continue to promote the deep integration of culture, commerce and tourism, enabling small markets to achieve major upgrades. This involves not only improving hardware facilities but also focusing on enhancing the experience, incorporating nostalgia, the festive atmosphere of the New Year, and human touch into modern consumption scenarios. The goal is to create "new markets" that people are willing to visit, love to visit, and can visit comfortably, transforming traditional New Year's shopping into an immersive experience of "walking around, looking, eating and playing," allowing consumer enthusiasm to naturally rise amidst the lively atmosphere.
For the annual economy to "thrive throughout the year," the key lies in strategic planning based on "long-term empowerment." The strong momentum of the "annual economy" is significant far beyond the festival itself; it vividly illustrates the driving force of consumption as the main engine of economic growth and lays a solid foundation for economic development throughout the year. Zhejiang Province activated consumption potential with tangible policy dividends by issuing over 10 million yuan in consumer vouchers, launching 12 food and tourism routes, and implementing 580 measures to benefit the people. Chengdu's Spring Festival Shopping Carnival lasted for two months, linking 17 specially designed pop-up stores and achieving "citywide shopping spree" through the "Spring Festival Food and Shopping Map," extending festival consumption into a long-term boom. Xinjiang Jiuding Agricultural Products Wholesale Center leveraged online live streaming to connect offline sales, ensuring the continued popularity of dried fruits and fresh fruits before and after the festival. It is essential to establish a mechanism connecting festival consumption with daily consumption, normalize the promotional models and innovative experiences of the Spring Festival shopping festival, continuously improve infrastructure such as cold chain warehousing and logistics, optimize the urban and rural consumption environment, ensure smooth urban and rural consumption channels, and continuously release festival dividends, transforming short-term excitement into long-term vitality.
The booming economy this year vividly demonstrates China's advantage of a super-large market and powerfully highlights the fundamental role of consumption in economic growth. As long as we consistently focus on core consumer needs, continuously strive for quality upgrades, make breakthroughs in scenario innovation, and persevere in long-term empowerment, we can ensure the continued spread of the "New Year economy" momentum, keep the consumer boom flowing, and inject a continuous stream of new energy into China's high-quality economic development.
Author: Tang Daiyuan
