Yiwu's experience of getting policy-making more efficient

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One of China's most foreigner-friendly cities continues to fulfill that reputation. Yiwu in eastern Zhejiang Province, just south of Shanghai, is where you can find an eclectic mix of cultures and ethnicities. But the more diverse the city grows, the louder the call for more needs and services.

For 10 years, Turkish businessman Ozcan Sezer's restaurant has brought the taste of his native Turkey to Yiwu. He says the city has become a second hometown, especially with both of his daughters having been born here.

Sezer told CGTN that they don't have too many choices since family is very important and for the family, the children are a top priority.

They face a lot of barriers, like language, cultural differences, and education resources. Today more exotic restaurants have sprung up in Yiwu. Many foreigners hope to settle down, but integrating into different cultures is never easy.

Yiwu has over 13,000 permanent foreign residents, but according to Sezer, only one public international school. /CGTN photo

To address public concerns, many foreigners are invited to participate in annual local government meetings and voice their suggestions.

Sezer and others said it was the first time for them to have a face-to-face talk with senior city officials.

Sezer said more theaters, art facilities as well as gym facilities are needed and addressed their concerns over schooling since all above will make their children happier and Yiwu more livable.

Djibril Diallo from Guinea told CGTN that he proposed an international museum where cultures from different countries will be exposed to Chinese people and Chinese cultures can be exhibited to foreigners as well to make the communication easier.

Australian businessman Simon Doyle said this was his second time attending the meeting and his proposal before was addressed very quickly. He added the lifestyle of local people is the most important thing, but lifestyles of foreigners and people from outside of Yiwu who live here is also very important, noting that getting all ideas heard is really a good idea.

Each year over 500,000 global traders come to do business in Yiwu. /CGTN photo

Yiwu is one of the first cities in China to take such measures to collect suggestions and improve services and will continue to do so. Duo Jia, Yiwu's deputy mayor, said the advice will be carefully studied while related departments will be supervised to address these concerns as soon as possible.

The government believes mutual communication plays a key role in facilitating understanding, and more opening-up measures will be needed to build Yiwu a better international commercial city.