Podcasts about Yiwu

Her şey, Çin'in üretim başkenti Yiwu'daki “Happy Sister” fabrikasında, bir işçinin dikiş iğnesini planlananın tam tersi bir açıyla kumaşa batırmasıyla başlıyor. Ay Yeni Yılı ve “At Yılı” kutlamaları için tasarlanan, aslında neşeyle sırıtan bir figür olması gereken kırmızı peluş atlar, bir üretim hatası sonucunda yüzünde derin bir keder taşıyarak banttan iniyor. Ağız kısmı ters dikilmiş, burun deliklerinden sanki sessizce yaş sızan “Ağlayan At”, modern hayatın yüz ifadesine dönüşüyor. Başlangıçta Ay Yeni Yılı'nın yüksek enerjisini temsil etmesi beklenen bu oyuncak, bugün milyonlarca beyaz yakalının “ofisteki iç sesi” olmayı başararak post-modern tükenmişliğin peluş kürsüsüne dönüşmüşe benziyor.

En este cuarto capítulo de mi viaje a China llegamos por primera vez a Mercado Mayorista de Yiwu, uno de los mercados mayoristas más grandes del mundo y un lugar clave del comercio global.En los dos capítulos anteriores recorrimos la Feria de Cantón, y ahora entramos a un escenario completamente distinto: un mercado que funciona todo el año, con miles de locales, millones de productos y proveedores vendiéndole a negocios de todo el planeta.En este video te muestro el primer recorrido por Yiwu:– La llegada desde el hotel caminando– Las primeras secciones del mercado– Accesorios, bisutería y joyas– La sección de juguetes, una de las más fuertes de Yiwu– Cómo funcionan los locales y los proveedoresEste no es un video turístico.Es una mirada real, desde adentro, a cómo funciona uno de los principales centros de abastecimiento del mundo para importadores, emprendedores y negocios.⚠️ Este es el primer video de dos sobre Yiwu, así que quédate atento al próximo capítulo, donde profundizamos aún más en el mercado.

As China heads into the Year of the Horse, consumer demand is being released earlier than usual, propelled by the country's longest Spring Festival holiday on record and a coordinated policy push aimed at turning seasonal spending into sustained economic momentum.随着中国迎来马年，消费需求释放时间较往年提前。这得益于创纪录的长春节假期，以及旨在将季节性消费转化为持续经济动能的协同政策推动。The 2026 Spring Festival holiday will run from Feb 15 to 23, spanning nine consecutive days. The extended break—longer than in previous years—is not only reshaping travel and spending plans, but also amplifying the effects of policies designed to unlock consumption potential, particularly in services, travel and experience-driven spending.2026年春节假期将从2月15日持续至23日，共计九天连休。较往年更长的假期不仅重塑了出行与消费计划，更放大了解锁消费潜力的政策效应，尤其在服务、旅游及体验型消费领域。From bustling shopping streets in Beijing to small factories in Zhejiang's Yiwu operating extra production lines, and from reunion dinners booked weeks ahead of Chinese New Year's Eve to a sharp rise in two-way travel, signs of renewed consumption activity are emerging well before the holiday officially begins.从北京熙熙攘攘的商业街，到浙江义乌加开生产线的中小工厂；从数周前就预订好的除夕团圆饭，到双向出行量的显著增长——在春节正式到来之前，消费活动复苏的迹象已然显现。On Beijing's Wangfujing pedestrian street, winter temperatures have done little to slow foot traffic. Flagship stores are drawing a steady stream of overseas visitors, many taking advantage of expanded visa-free access and increasingly seamless digital payment options.北京王府井步行街上，寒冬的低温并未减缓人流脚步。旗舰店吸引着络绎不绝的海外游客，许多人正享受着扩大免签政策带来的便利，以及日益便捷的数字支付方式。Daniel Chan, a tourist from Los Angeles, stepped out of an electronics store with a newly purchased DJI Osmo Nano camera.来自洛杉矶的游客陈丹尼尔（音译）从一家电子产品商店走出，手里拿着刚买到的DJI Osmo Nano相机。"I've wanted this model for months. It's almost impossible to find stock back home, yet here it was available, and the price was very friendly,"Chan said. "It's not just a souvenir—it's cutting-edge technology."陈丹尼尔（音译）说道：“我渴望拥有这款相机已有数月之久。在美国几乎找不到现货，而这里不仅有货，价格还非常实惠。这不仅是件纪念品，更是尖端科技的结晶。”He said he had already started using the camera on the day of purchase. "I haven't explored all its functions yet, but the magnetic design and image quality are quite good," he added.他表示购买当天就已开始使用这台相机。他补充道：“虽然还没完全摸清所有功能，但磁吸设计和成像质量都相当不错。”What impressed him most during his China trip, Chan said, was the speed and convenience of food delivery services. "It's incredibly fast and efficient—almost unbelievable," he said. Dining in restaurants was equally striking, with some offering dish countdown timers and guaranteed serving speeds. "I've hardly ever experienced service like this in the United States."陈丹尼尔（音译）表示，此次中国之行最令他印象深刻的是外卖服务的快捷便利。他说：“速度快得惊人，效率极高——简直难以置信。”餐厅用餐体验同样令人震撼，部分餐厅设有菜品倒计时器并承诺上菜速度。“在美国几乎从未体验过如此服务。”Such experiences are precisely what policymakers hope to encourage.此类经历正是政策制定者希望鼓励的。The "Shopping in China" campaign, first launched in April 2025, aims to create a more internationally friendly consumption ecosystem while stimulating domestic demand through higher-quality supply.“中国购物”活动于2025年4月首次启动，旨在打造更具国际友善度的消费生态系统，同时通过更高品质的供给来刺激国内需求。At the launch of the 2026 "Shopping in China" and New Year Consumption Season in Shanghai on Jan 3, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said the initiative would focus on goods consumption, services consumption and the development of new consumption scenarios. A series of nationwide events, including apremium consumption month and an international consumption season, will be rolled out, alongside locally tailored programs in 15 pilot cities.1月3日，2026“中国购物季”暨新年消费季在上海启动。商务部部长王文涛表示，本次活动将聚焦商品消费、服务消费及新型消费场景发展。全国将推出高端消费月、国际消费季等系列活动，同时15个试点城市将推出本土化特色项目。With the nine-day Spring Festival approaching, Wang said the Ministry of Commerce, together with other central departments and local governments, will host a "happy shopping for the Spring Festival" campaign as a flagship component of the "Shopping in China" series. The campaign will span food, accommodation, transport, travel, shopping and entertainment, aiming to create an inclusive, festive consumption experience for families at home and travelers on the move.随着为期九天的春节临近，王文涛表示商务部将联合中央各部门和地方政府，推出“欢乐春节·购物中国”系列活动的旗舰项目“欢乐春节·购物中国”。活动将覆盖餐饮、住宿、交通、旅游、购物、娱乐等领域，旨在为居家过节的家庭和外出游玩的旅客创造包容、喜庆的消费体验。More than 1,200 kilometers south of Beijing, Yiwu—the world's largest small-commodities hub—offers a ground-level view of how festive demand is being converted into real orders.距离北京以南1200多公里处，全球最大的小商品集散中心义乌正展现着节日需求如何转化为实际订单的生动图景。In the plush toy section of Yiwu International Trade Market, one horse-themed product has become an unexpected viral hit. Originally launched in mid-October under the name "Mashang Youqian", meaning "immediate prosperity", the toy initially sold about 400 units a day—steady but far from a bestseller.在义乌国际商贸城毛绒玩具区，一款以马为主题的产品意外走红。这款名为“马上有钱”的玩具于十月中旬上市，最初日销量约400件——虽保持稳定但远非畅销品。Its breakout moment came in January, after a minor production-line error resulted in the toy's mouth being stitched incorrectly, giving it a seemingly "tearful" expression. Buyers who received the flawed version posted photos and chat records online while requesting exchanges. The images struck a chord with netizens, who found humor and resonance in the toy's "wronged" look, quickly propelling it to the top of social media trending lists.这款玩具的爆红时刻出现在今年1月，当时因生产线的小失误导致玩具嘴巴缝制错误，呈现出仿佛“泪眼汪汪”的表情。收到瑕疵品的买家纷纷在网上晒出照片和聊天记录要求换货。这些照片意外引发网友共鸣，大家在玩具“委屈”的表情中发现了幽默感，迅速将其推上了社交媒体热搜榜首。Dubbed the "crying horse", the toy was soon labeled the first cultural "dark horse" of the New Year. As demand surged, the factory expanded production lines from two to more than a dozen, lifting daily output to around 15,000 units. The merchant has since applied for a design patent.这款被称为“哭哭马”的玩具，很快被冠以新年首个文化“黑马”的称号。随着需求激增，工厂将生产线从两条扩充至十余条，日产量提升至约1.5万只。该商家已就此申请了外观设计专利。Behind the viral moment, the success mirrors quality and Yiwu merchants' deeply ingrained ability to respond quickly to market signals, from identifying trends to making swift decisions and scaling production with minimal delay.这场病毒式传播的背后，其成功既彰显了商品品质，更折射出义乌商人深植于骨髓的敏锐市场触觉。从洞察趋势到果断决策，再到以最小延迟实现规模化生产，他们总能迅速响应市场信号。Across the toy sector, creative interpretations of the Year of the Horse are proliferating. Products range from zodiac photo frames to blind boxes and decorative figurines.玩具行业正涌现出大量以马年为主题的创意设计，产品涵盖生肖相框、盲盒以及装饰摆件等。Some bestselling items now sell between 40,000 and 60,000 units a day. For popular designs, factories are producing between 50,000 and 100,000 units daily. To maintain speed and creativity, some merchants require their design teams to develop as many as five new styles each day.部分畅销商品目前日销量在4万至6万件之间。对于热门款式，工厂日产量可达5万至10万件。为保持生产速度和设计创新力，部分商家要求设计团队每日开发多达五款新产品。Merchants say interest from foreign buyers has risen, particularly after Spring Festival was added to UNESCO's Representative List of theIntangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024.商户表示，外国买家的兴趣有所提升，尤其是在2024年12月春节被列入联合国教科文组织人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录之后。Consumption momentum is also visible in the catering sector, where Chinese New Year's Eve reunion dinners—a core element of Spring Festival culture—are being booked out well in advance.餐饮业的消费势头同样明显，作为春节文化核心元素的除夕团圆饭，早已被提前预订一空。In Beijing, several restaurant chains report that all private rooms across multiple branches are already fully booked, with only limited lunchtime slots remaining. Prices largely match regular menus, though advance reservations and deposits are typically required.在北京，多家连锁餐厅表示其旗下各分店的包间已全部订满，仅剩少量午间时段可预约。价格基本与常规菜单持平，但通常需要提前预约并支付定金。To cope with demand, many restaurants have introducedstaggered dining slots on Chinese New Year's Eve, offering discounts for later sittings. Others have expanded takeaway services, allowing families to enjoy freshly prepared reunion meals at home.为应对需求，许多餐厅在除夕夜推出了错峰用餐时段，晚间时段还提供折扣优惠。另有餐厅扩大了外卖服务范围，让家庭能在家中享用现做的团圆饭。One restaurant in Beijing's Guomao area has launched two takeaway packages priced at 1,988 yuan ($286) for eight to 10 people and 999 yuan for four to six people, with free delivery within the city's Fifth Ring Road. Customers can also order a la carte, providing greater flexibility.北京国贸区某餐厅推出两款外卖套餐：8-10人份售价1988元（约合286美元），4-6人份售价999元，市内五环路内免费配送。顾客也可单点菜品，提供更灵活的选择。An emerging trend is the shift toward county towns and rural venues. In Yinjiang town of Ningbo, Zhejiang province, a countryside resort that opened reservations three months ago, has already sold out large private rooms for the first two days of the holiday, attracting families traveling from neighboring Shanghai, and Jiangsu province.新兴趋势向县城和乡村场所转移。在浙江省宁波市鄞江镇，一家三个月前开放预订的乡村度假村，其大型包间在假期前两天的预订已全部售罄，吸引了来自邻近上海和江苏的家庭游客。Traditional restaurant brands are also moving into rural markets. Managers say demand for reunion dinners and banquets in these areas remains strong, while the supply of mid—to high-end dining options is relatively limited—creating new opportunities for expansion.传统餐饮品牌也正进军农村市场。经营者表示，这些地区对团圆饭和宴会的需求依然旺盛，而中高端餐饮选择的供应相对有限，这为扩张创造了新机遇。The nine-day break is also reshaping travel patterns, triggering a surge in both outbound and inbound tourism.为期九天的假期也在重塑旅游模式，引发出境游和入境游的双双激增。Major travel platforms report that Spring Festival bookings for 2026 have surpassed last year's levels across the board. According to data from Flight Master, as of Jan 16, bookings for domestic flights during the holiday exceeded 4.13 million, up about 21 percent year-on-year. Outbound and inbound flight bookings both climbed to around 700,000.主要旅游平台数据显示，2026年春节期间的预订量全面超越去年同期水平。据飞航大师平台统计，截至1月16日，春节期间国内航班预订量已突破413万次，同比增长约21%。出境及入境航班预订量均攀升至约70万次。Airbnb data show searches by Chinese travelers for overseas accommodation around the Spring Festival period have roughly doubled year-on-year. Many travelers are choosing to stagger trips before or after the official holiday to secure better prices and less crowded itineraries.爱彼迎（Airbnb）数据显示，春节期间中国游客搜索海外住宿的数量同比翻了一番。许多游客选择在法定假期前后错峰出行，以获得更优惠的价格和更宽松的行程安排。Travel agencies are embedding New Year elements into overseas tour products, allowing travelers to retain a sense of festivity even while abroad.旅行社正将新年元素融入海外旅游产品，让游客即使身处异国也能保持节日氛围。Li Mengran, marketing manager of Beijing-based travel agency Utour, said the company has continued its long-standing practices in European tour products. These include customized reunion dinners and dumpling-making activities, alongside wine tastings and interactive prize draws.北京众信旅游集团媒介公关经理李梦然表示，公司在欧洲旅游产品中延续了多年来的传统项目，包括定制团圆晚宴和包饺子活动，同时安排品酒会和互动抽奖环节。"For family travelers, we also prepare red-envelope gifts for children under 16 to enhance the sense of ritual and warmth during the journey,"Li said.李梦然表示：“针对家庭游客，我们还为16岁以下儿童准备了红包礼物，以增强旅途中的仪式感与温馨氛围。”Domestically, culturally rich "intangible heritage towns" are emerging as popular destinations. Data from Qunar show that cities such as Huangshan in Anhui, Jingdezhen in Jiangxi, Quanzhou in Fujian, Foshan in Guangdong and Zigong in Sichuan—all offering immersive intangible cultural heritage experiences—have seen particularly strong hotel booking growth during the winter holiday and Spring Festival period.在国内，文化底蕴深厚的“非物质文化遗产小镇”正成为热门旅游目的地。去哪儿网数据显示，安徽黄山、江西景德镇、福建泉州、广东佛山、四川自贡等提供沉浸式非物质文化遗产体验的城市，在寒假和春节期间酒店预订量增长尤为显著。Inbound tourism is also gaining momentum.入境旅游业也正蓬勃发展。Qunar data show that bookings for domestic flights made using non-Chinese passports during the Spring Festival holiday are up more than 20 percent year-on-year, underscoring the holiday's growing role as a window for international visitors to experience Chinese culture.去哪儿网数据显示，春节期间持非中国护照预订的国内航班量同比增长逾20%，凸显出春节作为国际游客体验中华文化的窗口正发挥着日益重要的作用。This rebound reflects sustained policy support. By the first three quarters of 2025, visa-free inbound visits reached 20.89 million, up more than 50 percent year-on-year. Since the introduction of the 240-hour transit visa-free policy, inbound arrivals across ports have risen 27.2 percent.这一回升态势反映出政策支持的持续性。截至2025年前三季度，免签入境人次达2089万，同比增长逾50%。自实施240小时过境免签政策以来，各口岸入境人次增长27.2%。The World Travel & Tourism Council forecasts that China's tourism sector will grow at an average annual rate of 7 percent over the next decade, with the country on track to become the world's largest tourism market by 2031, surpassing the United States.世界旅游业理事会预测，未来十年中国旅游业将保持年均7%的增长率，预计到2031年将超越美国，成为全球最大的旅游市场。Economists say the early consumption surge reflects the combined effects of policy support, longer holidays and evolving consumer preferences.经济学家表示，消费的早期激增反映了政策支持、假期延长以及消费者偏好变化的综合影响。The Central Economic Work Conference held in December placed expanding domestic demand as the top priority of China's economic policy in 2026, with multiple consumption-supporting policies already rolled out or in the pipeline.去年12月召开的中央经济工作会议将扩大内需确立为2026年中国经济政策的重中之重，多项支持消费的政策已陆续出台或正在酝酿中。Su Jian, a professor at Peking University's School of Economics, said consumption growth has been most visible in services and fast-evolving consumer electronics, including tourism, cultural products, sports and entertainment. Rapid upgrade cycles, he added, continue to support demand for electronics.北京大学经济学院教授苏剑表示，消费增长在服务业和快速发展的消费电子产品领域最为显著，包括旅游、文化产品、体育和娱乐等。他补充道，快速的升级周期持续支撑着电子产品需求。Since last year, targeted consumption-boosting campaigns have delivered tangible results. In 2025, trade-in-related sales exceeded 2.6 trillion yuan, benefiting more than 360 million consumer transactions. Optimized trade-in programs introduced in 2026 are now translating into concrete market activity across regions.自去年以来，定向消费提振举措成效显著。2025年，以旧换新相关销售额突破2.6万亿元，惠及逾3.6亿笔消费交易。2026年推出的优化换购方案，正逐步转化为各地市场的实际行动。International observers have also noted structural changes underway. In its latest flagship annual report, global consultancy Roland Berger said China has entered the "consumption 4.0" era, characterized by resilience.国际观察人士也注意到正在发生的结构性变化。全球咨询公司罗兰贝格企业管理有限公司在其最新旗舰年度报告中指出，中国已进入以韧性为特征的“消费4.0”时代。China's consumption structure is shifting rapidly from survival-oriented spending toward development—and experience-oriented demand, the report noted. By elevating domestic demand expansion to a strategic priority, and encouraging a move from quantitative satisfaction to qualitative enrichment, policymakers are using consumption upgrading to drive supply-side innovation and support high-quality growth.报告指出，中国消费结构正从生存型消费向发展型消费、从物质型需求向体验型需求快速转变。通过将扩大内需提升为战略重点，引导消费从数量满足转向质量提升，决策者正以消费升级为引擎，推动供给侧创新，助力高质量发展。Boosting consumption, policymakers emphasize, is not a short-term fix, but a long-term strategy.政策制定者强调，提振消费并非短期对策，而是长远之策。A State Council executive meeting held on Jan 16 reviewed progress in the consumption-boosting campaign and outlined further steps to cultivate new growth points in service consumption.2026年1月16日召开的国务院常务会议审议了提振消费行动的进展情况，并规划了培育服务消费新增长点的后续措施。The meeting called for improving long-term mechanisms for promoting consumption, raising urban and rural household incomes, implementing the paid leave system and removing unreasonable restrictive measures for consumption.会议要求完善促进消费的长效机制，提高城乡居民收入水平，落实带薪休假制度，取消限制消费的不合理措施。premium consumption/ˈpriː.mi.əm/高端消费staggered dining slots错峰用餐时段intangible/ɪnˈtæn.dʒə.bəl/adj.非物质的

A plush toy horse designed as a cheerful Chinese New Year mascot has galloped into unexpected popularity — with an ironic twist.一款原本被设计为喜气洋洋的中国新年吉祥物的毛绒小马，意外走红——而这一走红还带着几分讽刺意味。Created for the upcoming Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac, it was originally meant to wear an upturned smile. Instead, due to a production error at a factory in Yiwu, Zhejiang province — widely known as the world's capital of small commodities — the toy left the assembly line with its mouth stitched into a distinct, down-turned pout.这款毛绒玩具是为即将到来的中国生肖“马年”设计的，原本应当带着上扬的笑容。然而，由于浙江义乌一家工厂在生产过程中出现失误——义乌素有“世界小商品之都”之称——这款玩具走下流水线时，嘴巴却被缝成了明显向下的撇嘴表情。"It was simply a worker's mistake — the mouth was sewn upside down," factory owner Zhang Huoqing said in an interview on Friday.工厂负责人张火清在周五接受采访时表示：“这只是工人的一个失误——嘴巴被反着缝了。”The story began when a social media user in Hangzhou, the provincial capital, received the flawed toy and contacted customer service to request a replacement. After posting photos of its melancholic expression online, the plush unexpectedly surged to fame.事情起初源于浙江省会杭州的一名社交媒体用户。该用户收到这款存在瑕疵的玩具后联系了客服要求更换，并将其忧郁的表情照片发布到网络上。出人意料的是，这只毛绒小马随即迅速走红。Netizens quickly dubbed it the "cry-cry horse", and demand for the "accidental edition" flooded in. By Sunday, the hashtag #YiwuCryCry-HorseGoneViral had garnered about 100 million views on the social media platform Sina Weibo.网友们很快给它取名为“哭哭马”，对这一“意外版本”的需求蜂拥而至。截至周日，话题标签#义乌哭哭马走红#在社交平台新浪微博上的阅读量已接近1亿次。The toy's forlorn pout, paired with determined eyes, was swiftly embraced as a "cyber mouthpiece" for a generation of office workers. It embodies a collective sentiment of maintaining outward composure while enduring internal pressure — a feeling often described by the popular term "cattle-and-horse", a euphemism for being overworked.这款玩具那委屈的撇嘴与坚定的眼神相结合，很快被一代上班族视为自己的“网络嘴替”。它所呈现的，是一种在承受内心压力的同时仍努力保持表面镇定的集体情绪——这种状态常被用流行语“牛马”来形容，意指长期过度劳累。"It's a true depiction of the 'cattle-and-horse' mindset," one user wrote. Another added, "It's quite adorable and looks really stubborn. For the Year of the Horse, let's make it a determined and hardworking one."一名网友写道：“这就是‘牛马心态'的真实写照。”另一位网友补充说：“它真的很可爱，看起来又特别倔。马年就该是这样一匹倔强又努力的马。”Wang Bin, a professor of social media communication at Renmin University of China, interpreted the trend as a psychological response to widespread social fatigue. He said the plush toy functions as an emotional anchor for consumers grappling with uncertainty and daily pressures.中国人民大学社会化媒体传播方向教授王斌将这一现象解读为对普遍社会疲劳感的一种心理回应。他表示，这款毛绒玩具成为了在不确定性和日常压力中挣扎的消费者的一种情绪锚点。"Everyone feels exhausted and faces many uncertainties about the future," Wang said, adding that the toy serves as a form of emotional comfort that people can buy.王斌表示：“每个人都感到疲惫，也面临着对未来的诸多不确定性。”他补充说，这款玩具为人们提供了一种可以“购买得到”的情绪慰藉。The factory in Yiwu seized the moment with remarkable speed, pivoting production almost overnight. The number of assembly lines dedicated to the toy expanded from two to more than 10, with workers now meticulously trained to replicate the signature "sad" mouth — the very flaw they had once been instructed to avoid.义乌的这家工厂以惊人的速度抓住了这一契机，几乎一夜之间完成了生产转向。专门用于该玩具的生产线从最初的两条扩展至十多条，工人们如今还接受了细致培训，以精准复刻这一标志性的“悲伤嘴型”——而这正是他们此前被要求避免的缺陷。The identity of the original artisan responsible for the error remains unknown. Zhang said the company would award a bonus to the entire production team in recognition of their role in the toy's unexpected success.最初制造失误的工匠身份仍未被确认。张火清表示，公司将向整个生产团队发放奖金，以表彰他们在这款玩具意外成功中所发挥的作用。Despite the frenzy, the company has pledged to keep the retail price fixed at 25 yuan ($3.5).尽管热度高涨，该公司仍承诺将零售价维持在25元人民币（约合3.5美元）不变。Its rapid rise to popularity underscores a shifting industrial paradigm whereby manufacturers increasingly prioritize consumer feedback, turning sentiment into a key factor in new product launches, said Zhu Huasheng, a professor at Beijing Normal University who studies industrial clusters.研究产业集群的北京师范大学教授朱华生指出，这一产品的迅速走红凸显了产业范式的转变：制造商正越来越重视消费者反馈，将情绪因素转化为新产品推出的重要依据。"The success is not just about supply chain agility," Zhu said. "The internet-driven thinking of vendors played a major role."朱华生表示：“这一成功不仅仅源于供应链的灵活性，商家以互联网思维为导向的决策方式同样发挥了关键作用。”He pointed to Yiwu — known as the "world's supermarket" — as a prime example of how online sentiment can now be translated almost instantly into physical products.他以被称为“世界超市”的义乌为例，指出当下网络情绪如何能够几乎即时地转化为实体商品。For decades, Yiwu has relied on flexible networks of small suppliers capable of rapid retooling and small-batch production. What has changed, Zhu said, is the addition of a digital layer. Social media and online platforms now provide real-time, high-resolution data on niche emotional trends, allowing factories to identify and validate new market signals almost overnight.数十年来，义乌一直依托灵活的小型供应商网络，具备快速转产和小批量生产能力。朱华生表示，真正发生变化的是“数字层”的加入。社交媒体和网络平台如今能够提供关于细分情绪趋势的实时、高精度数据，使工厂几乎可以在一夜之间识别并验证新的市场信号。"Consumers, especially young people, are no longer passive buyers but active participants," he said."Their emotional expressions can directly shape what gets made."他说：“消费者，尤其是年轻人，已不再是被动的购买者，而是积极的参与者。他们的情绪表达可以直接影响产品的生产方向。”The "cry-cry horse" illustrates this system in action. Yiwu's sprawling commercial complex, home to more than 75,000 wholesale booths, has long served as a bellwether for disposable consumer trends and a sourcing base for global bargain retailers.“哭哭马”正是这一体系运作的生动体现。义乌庞大的商贸综合体拥有超过7.5万个批发摊位，长期以来既是快消品消费趋势的风向标，也是全球平价零售商的重要采购基地。However, the toy industry remains notoriously fickle, and viral crazes often last only months. Zhu said manufacturers in Yiwu are keenly aware of the "burst" nature of internet trends. Their strategy centers on hyper-agile production — riding the wave at its peak and winding down quickly.然而，玩具行业向来变化无常，网络爆款往往只能维持数月。朱华生指出，义乌的制造商对此类互联网趋势的“爆发式”特征心知肚明，其核心策略在于高度敏捷的生产模式——在热度巅峰迅速跟进，并及时退场。Low per-unit costs help minimize financial risk, and the dense local supply network allows labor and materials to be swiftly redirected to other products. Ultimately, Zhu said, the strength of such hubs lies less in predicting a trend's longevity than in mastering the logistics of a short life cycle — maximizing returns within a narrow window before enthusiasm fades.较低的单件成本有助于降低财务风险，而本地密集的供应网络则使劳动力和原材料能够迅速转向其他产品。朱华生表示，归根结底，这类产业集群的优势并不在于准确预测趋势能持续多久，而在于掌握短生命周期内的运作逻辑——在热情消退前的有限时间窗口中实现收益最大化。plush toy /plʌʃ tɔɪ/毛绒玩具Chinese zodiac /ˌtʃaɪˈniːz ˈzəʊdiæk/中国生肖cyber mouthpiece /ˈsaɪbər ˈmaʊθpiːs/网络嘴替cattle-and-horse /ˈkæt̬l ænd hɔːrs/“牛马”（过度劳累的隐喻）emotional anchor /ɪˈməʊʃənl ˈæŋkər/情绪锚点bellwether /ˈbelweðər/风向标

From the BBC World Service: Have you ever wondered where your festive Christmas lights, ornaments, and toys all come from? Well, there's a good chance they originate in the Chinese city of Yiwu. It's home to a major the world's largest wholesale market and produces more than half of the world's Christmas decor. This Christmas morning, we'll take a trip to the city and hear how it's being affected by the latest U.S. tariffs

From the BBC World Service: Have you ever wondered where your festive Christmas lights, ornaments, and toys all come from? Well, there's a good chance they originate in the Chinese city of Yiwu. It's home to a major the world's largest wholesale market and produces more than half of the world's Christmas decor. This Christmas morning, we'll take a trip to the city and hear how it's being affected by the latest U.S. tariffs

We're in Santa's grotto – sort of - a Chinese city that some call the Christmas capital of the world. With 75,000 traders, across 50,000 stores, Yiwu offers the world's largest wholesale market across a labyrinth of arcades. But at a time of growing trade tensions with the US, who's actually buying the tinsel this year? If you'd like to send us an email, our address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Ed Butler Producer: David Cann Additional production: Victoriya Holland(Picture: Crowds of people walking through Yiwu wholesale market. Credit: BBC/Wang Xiqing)

US consumers pay for decorations, and tariffs at Christmas. But gifts aren't sources at the North Pole; they are imported from Yiwu, China. Are Chinese enjoying a more affordable Christmas in 2025? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The American billionaire Larry Ellison has promised more than $40 billion of his money in support of Paramount to buy rival studio, Warner Bros Discovery. Where does this leave antitrust questions around a Paramount or Netflix takeover? Ed Butler hears from Phillip Berenbroick, who served as chief counsel for the US Senate's judiciary subcommittee on antitrust matters. How much money is Morocco spending as host for the African Cup of Nations? Also, we explore Yiwu, China's capital of Christmas(Photo: Paramount, Netflix and Warner Bros logos are seen in this illustration taken December 8, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration)

Fitzke, Julius www.deutschlandfunk.de, Sonntagsspaziergang

CONHEÇA A PINDAU, A NOVA PLATAFORMA COMPLETA PARA IMPORTAR DA CHINA PARA O BRASIL: https://pindau.com.br/ Direto do mercado de Yiwu, o maior mercado atacadista de pequenos produtos do mundo, Rodrigo Giraldelli apresenta neste episódio uma revolução silenciosa que está transformando o comércio internacional. Está se tornando, cada vez mais fácil e seguro, comprar diretamente dos fornecedores chineses através da internet, sem precisar ir até a China e encontrar produtos e fabricantes. Produtos e condições que eram exclusivas do mercado chinês agora podem ser encontradas online. Tudo começou com o Alibaba, mas está avançando com novas plataformas de compra que garantem uma experiência completa ao importador. E o site mais completo para o importador brasileiro é a Pindau. Com a Pindau, você tem o preço de fábrica direto da China, toda a logística e impostos resolvidos, e o produto entregue com nota fiscal na porta da sua empresa, sem se preocupar com burocracia e sem surpresas. Ouça este episódio até o final e veja como a Pindau pode te ajudar a importar da China com muita segurança e o menor custo possível.

 Diretamente da China, Rodrigo Giraldelli mostra como está funcionando o armazém da China Gate e também da Pindau em Yiwu, onde são consolidadas as cargas de centenas de importadores brasileiros todas as semanas em nossos containers compartilhados e completos. Entenda como é feita a recepção dos produtos, conferência, separação e embarque das mercadorias que seguem para os portos de Santos, Paranaguá e Vitória e depois para todo o Brasil. Tudo com segurança, transparência e o melhor custo-benefício. Neste episódio, você vai entender como funciona a operação logística da China Gate e Pindau no nosso armazém exclusivo, que permite a empresários importar da China com suporte completo e os melhores custos do mercado. CONHEÇA A PINDAU, SEU NOVO SITE DE COMPRAS NA CHINA: https://pindau.com.br/

Known as the world's capital of small commodities, Yiwu in eastern China attracts hundreds of thousands of sellers and buyers from home and abroad every day. Harold Mori, a young Peruvian man, is one of them. In this podcast, Mori shares his story of how he started his trading business from scratch right here in Yiwu.

China-Africa trade is thriving, with Yiwu playing a growing role in connecting markets and people. Two African entrepreneurs share how they are finding new opportunities and building stronger ties between China and Africa.

No episódio de hoje, direto do nosso armazém em Yiwu, na China, Rodrigo Giraldelli vai te mostrar, na prática, como é feita a inspeção de recebimento das mercadorias dos clientes da China Gate. Você vai entender como é a conferência feita pela nossa equipe na China e como garantimos que sua carga seja entregue corretamente no seu endereço no Brasil. Rodrigo também vai explicar os diferentes tipos de inspeção e como você pode contratar serviços adicionais. Se você quer importar com segurança e o melhor custo-benefício, seja por container compartilhado, completo ou carga aérea, fale com nosso time agora mesmo: https://chinagate.com.br/atendimento/ Nós cuidamos de mais de 300 importações todos os meses e a próxima pode ser a sua!

Quer ver na prática o que os importadores estão trazendo da China para o Brasil? Neste episódio direto do nosso armazém em Yiwu, na China, Rodrigo Giraldelli mostra diversos tipos de produtos que clientes da China Gate estão importando para revender no Brasil. São ideias de produtos para você se inspirar em seu projeto de importação e começar a importar direto do fabricante para o seu negócio aqui no Brasil. Produtos de diferentes ramos e tamanhos, consolidados em nosso armazém, são preparados para o embarque e enviados ao Brasil com a assessoria completa da China Gate. NÓS TE AJUDAMOS EM TODAS AS ETAPAS DE SUA IMPORTAÇÃO - DO NOSSO ARMAZÉM AO SEU ENDEREÇO. FALE COM NOSSO TIME E COMECE HOJE MESMO: https://chinagate.com.br/atendimento/

Quer importar brinquedos da China? Então este episódio é para você! Neste episódio, direto da cidade de Shantou, considerada a capital mundial dos brinquedos, Rodrigo Giraldelli vai mostrar para você como funcionam os showrooms com mais de 4.000 fornecedores de brinquedos. Aqui você encontra desde carrinhos, tratores, brinquedos educativos, infláveis, bonecos e muito mais. O grande diferencial destes showrooms é a variedade de produtos e a possibilidade de personalizar, além de colocar a sua marca, escolher novas cores ou desenvolver linhas exclusivas para o seu negócio. E é claro que a China Gate pode te ajudar a ir para Shantou, organizado sua viagem, suporte logístico e completo, recepção e hospedagem na China, com cálculo de custos de suas negociações na cidade. Quer visitar a cidade de Shantou na China e começar sua importação de brinquedos? Ou para Yiwu, o maior mercado atacadista do mundo? Fale com nosso time: http://vouprachina.com.br/

Já pensou em importar direto de um mercado com mais de 70 mil lojas na China, onde é possível importar de uma caixa a um container inteiro com preços imbatíveis? Estamos falando do mercado de Yiwu, o maior mercado atacadista de pequenos produtos do mundo e um dos melhores lugares para encontrar fornecedores na China, validar produtos e importar com muito lucro. Neste episódio, Rodrigo Giraldelli apresenta os dados e o tamanho do mercado de Yiwu e como você pode negociar com os fornecedores locais e fazer sua importação, mesmo com pouco investimento, comprando direto do fabricante. O que você vai descobrir neste episódio: - Como funciona o mercado de Yiwu, na China - A diferença entre Yiwu e Canton Fair - Como importar produtos em pequena escala ou grandes volumes - Como comprar com fornecedores diretos de fábrica - Por que você precisa de uma trading para importar de Yiwu - O passo a passo para organizar sua viagem de compras para a China A China Gate te leva para Yiwu com toda assessoria e suporte para você fazer uma viagem de negócios tranquila e lucrativa. Confira nossos planos: https://play.chinagate.com.br/viagens-para-yiwu/

①Int'l Deep Space Exploration Association launched in China②Animated video series tells stories of 5,000-year-old Liangzhu civilization③Family travel boom boosts China's summer tourism market④New talent system benefits over 3,700 foreign businesspeople in China's Yiwu⑤China's Xinjiang opens second direct air cargo route to Serbia⑥China debuts homegrown deep-sea robotic arm with 7 functions

Fitzke, Julius www.deutschlandfunk.de, Sonntagsspaziergang

Ainda acha que importar da China é só para empresa rica? Então você precisa ouvir esse episódio! Direto do nosso armazém exclusivo em Yiwu, na China, Rodrigo Giraldelli fala, em detalhes, quanto custa fazer uma importação, mesmo começando com pouco capital, por meio do nosso serviço de container compartilhado. Você vai entender todos os custos envolvidos na operação e como você pode calculá-los para verificar a viabilidade da sua importação. Com os containers compartilhados você consegue importar em quantidades menores, dividindo as despesas fixas e o espaço de um container com outras importações, de forma legalizada e totalmente segura. Não tem valor mínimo e você não precisa ter uma grande empresa para começar! Qualquer empresa pode importar da China e você pode começar já. Este é o serviço que tem revolucionado a importação no Brasil e já ajudou mais de 5 mil importadores brasileiros nos últimos cinco anos: você compra de 1 ou mais fornecedores, envia tudo para o nosso armazém, e nós cuidamos do resto até sua carga chegar no seu endereço com nota fiscal e tudo 100% legalizado.

Quer ter acesso a esse armazém e a uma estrutura completa na China para cuidar da sua importação? Entre para o Importação Digital: https://play.importacaodigital.com.br/importar-agora/ Você já teve curiosidade de ver como é o carregamento de um container de importação da China para o Brasil? Neste episódio vamos te mostrar um pouco dos bastidores do nosso armazém em Yiwu, apresentando como é o carregamento de um container compartilhado cheio de cargas de nossos clientes. Nosso armazém na China conta com uma equipe dedicada e infraestrutura completa para cuidar da sua importação de ponta a ponta, com saídas semanais da China com destino para o Brasil, em diferentes portos. Neste episódio, Rodrigo Giraldelli, direto da China, vai mostrar um pouco mais de como funciona a nossa operação na China para você importar com o custo reduzido e muita segurança.

Você sabe o que acontece com a sua carga depois que o fornecedor envia os produtos na China? Neste episódio, você vai conhecer por dentro a estrutura do nosso escritório e armazém em Yiwu, onde cuidamos da sua importação e preparamos tudo para o envio ao Brasil. Rodrigo Giraldelli, direto da China em nosso armazém vai explicar o passo a passo, desde a entrega do fornecedor até o envio para o porto para o Brasil. Você vai entender como sua carga é separada, preparada e consolidada para que sua importação tenha o melhor custo-benefício. Além disso, você verá como é a estrutura de um container compartilhado na prática. Ouça este episódio até o final para entender um pouco mais dos bastidores da importação e entender porque a nossa assessoria é fundamental para sua importação ter sucesso. Importando através dos nossos containers compartilhados do Importação Digital, você tem acesso a toda essa estrutura na China. Toque no link e saiba mais detalhes para fazer sua inscrição: https://play.importacaodigital.com.br/importar-agora/

①Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on China and Russia to work together for the interests of developing countries. (00:40)②China is introducing a new law to promote the private sector. What does it mean for private enterprises in the country? (11:55)③Columbia is planning to join the Belt and Road Initiative. What's behind this decision? (25:00)④China's export manufacturing hub of Yiwu shows resilience in the face of US tariffs.(34:15)⑤And interview with Russian figure skating stars Evgenia Medvedeva and Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (44:00)

Kate Adie presents stories from Israel and Gaza, China, Romania, Bolivia and the Vatican City.In Gaza and Israel people have been taking to the streets to demand an end to the war. The protests have taken different forms, and as Paul Adams notes, also involve very different risks.Amid the on-going trade war between China and the US, Laura Bicker speaks to Chinese traders at one of the world's biggest wholesale markets in Yiwu, to find out how Donald Trump's tariffs are affecting business.After election results were annulled in Romania last year, the country faces a rerun this Sunday. The political chaos that followed the Constitutional Court's decision left a sour taste among many voters, finds Tessa Dunlop, who met people from across the political spectrum in Bucharest.The Bolivian city of Potosi was once at the heart of the Spanish empire, thanks to the discovery of a mountain of silver in the 16th Century. Carolyn Lamboley paid a visit to the city, which is now a shell of what it was and met some of the miners who still work in the region.Rome's trattorias and cafes are bustling with cardinals and their supporters as they deliberate the kind of leader they want as their new Pope. Veteran BBC Vatican correspondent, David Willey, has been observing the hushed conversations ahead of the Conclave which gathers in the Vatican on Wednesday.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill & Katie Morrison Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

In this episode we reflect on the wild spring tea tour we just finished in 2025. We visited the Jingmai mountains in Yunnan, Anji in Zhejiang, Hangzhou's West Lake for Dragonwell, Chaozhou's Wudong Mountain for the dancong, Yiwu, Huazhu Liangzi, Laobanzhang, Laoman'e, Menghai, and Bada for the puer. It has been a wild ride and we have so much to say, but first let's just talk about seeing some old friends in Hangzhou and Wudong Mountian, that's Shanshan and Zhang Hailang from Nine Trees and Wen Zitong in Wudong. Hopefully a lot of the green teas mentioned here are already in your tea cups at home! Some still available on the One River Tea website.

Neste episódio você vai conhecer, por dentro, o nosso armazém exclusivo na cidade de Yiwu na China. É neste local onde recebemos as cargas, separamos e consolidamos e preparamos o envio para o Brasil. Rodrigo Giraldelli, que está na China, vai mostrar em detalhes como funciona o dia a dia no armazém e os produtos dos importadores chegam, são separados e enviados para o porto na China. Este armazém fica em Yiwu, um dos maiores polos comerciais do mundo, e recebe cargas para os nossos containers compartilhados com saídas semanais da China para o Brasil. Assim, você consegue comprar barato na China e trazer com o melhor custo-benefício para o Brasil. Assista o episódio até o final, deixe seu comentário e se quiser ter acesso a este armazém para as suas cargas, toque no link a seguir e conheça nossos containers compartilhados: https://play.importacaodigital.com.br/blog-resultados/

On today's show Andrew and Bill begin with Tuesday's signals that the Trump administration may seek to deescalate its trade war, why Beijing may see it as confirmation that their patient approach is working, and questions about what's next as the Trump messaging on trade changes by the day. From there: The PRC warns countries about cooperating with the US, and why the apparent US flip-flopping likely hurts their cause with third-party countries. At the end: A dispatch from Yiwu, more on PRC messages to third-party countries, and a listener's note on Trump's caustic approach to Canada.

【欢迎订阅】每天早上5:30，准时更新。【阅读原文】标题：Viewing T's Trade War From the World's Shopping Mall in China正文：Christmas comes early to Yiwu, a bustling entrepôt just a couple hours by train from China's coastal megacity of Shanghai.知识点：bustling adj. /ˈbʌstlɪŋ/Full of energetic and noisy activity; lively and busy. 忙碌的；熙熙攘攘的；• The bustling market was filled with people shopping for fresh produce. 热闹的市场挤满了购物新鲜农产品的人们 。获取外刊的完整原文以及精讲笔记，请关注微信公众号「早安英文」，回复“外刊”即可。更多有意思的英语干货等着你！【节目介绍】《早安英文-每日外刊精读》，带你精读最新外刊，了解国际最热事件：分析语法结构，拆解长难句，最接地气的翻译，还有重点词汇讲解。所有选题均来自于《经济学人》《纽约时报》《华尔街日报》《华盛顿邮报》《大西洋月刊》《科学杂志》《国家地理》等国际一线外刊。【适合谁听】1、关注时事热点新闻，想要学习最新最潮流英文表达的英文学习者2、任何想通过地道英文提高听、说、读、写能力的英文学习者3、想快速掌握表达，有出国学习和旅游计划的英语爱好者4、参加各类英语考试的应试者（如大学英语四六级、托福雅思、考研等）【你将获得】1、超过1000篇外刊精读课程，拓展丰富语言表达和文化背景2、逐词、逐句精确讲解，系统掌握英语词汇、听力、阅读和语法3、每期内附学习笔记，包含全文注释、长难句解析、疑难语法点等，帮助扫除阅读障碍。

This episode we kick off a series of episodes following the famous monk Xuanzang, aka the Tripitaka Master of the Law, Sanzang Fashi.  Known in Japanese as Genjo, and founder of the Faxiang school of Yogacara Buddhism, also known as the Hosso school, it was brought back to the archipelago by students who studied with the master at his temple north of the Tang capital of Chang'an.  He was particularly famous for his travels across the Silk Road to India and back--a trip that would last 16 years and result in him bringing back numerous copies of sutras from the land of the Buddha, kicking off a massive translation work.  It also would see his recollections recorded as the Record of the Western Regions, which, along with his biography based on the stories he told those working with him, give us some of the best contemporary information of the various places along the Silk Road in the 7th century. Part 1 focuses on Xuanzang's journey out of the Tang empire, braving the desert, and somehow, against the odds, making it to the country of Gaochang. For more, check out the blogpost page:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-120 Rough Transcript: Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua, and this is Episode 120:  Journey to the West, Part 1 The monks from far off Yamato were enthralled.  They had journeyed across the waves on a foreign vessel, traversed a greater distance than they probably thought possible growing up in the archipelago, and had finally arrived at the capital of the Great Tang Empire, Chang'an.  They had then been sent north, to a temple where they met others from Yamato. They had come to study the Law, the Dharma, with some of the most famous teachers of the Tang dynasty, and there were few more famous than the Tripitaka Master Genjou himself.   Everyone in the monastery knew his story—he had traveled all the way to India, the birthplace of the Buddha, and returned with copies of the sutras in Sanskrit, which he and the other monks were translating. In between sessions of meditation, sutra readings, and various lectures, the students would gather round the feet of the master as he recounted his journeys.  The stories themselves were fantastic stories, telling of far off cities and people.  There were stories of bandits, and meetings with kings.  The students must have thought about how it mirrored what they, themselves, had gone through—their own Journey to the West. Last episode we talked about Tukara and what that mysterious placename might mean—and where it could be referring to.  For that we traveled all the way to the end of the Silk Road.  In this episode and continuing into the next, we are going to travel that same road with a different perspective, as we take a look at one of the most famous travelers of the Silk Road:  the monk Xuanzang, or Genjou in Japanese.  And as I hinted at in the introduction, if you're at all familiar with the famous Journey to the West, well, this and the following episodes will explore the actual history behind that story, and how intertwined it is with the history of the archipelago. For those who don't know, Xuanzang was a monk, born Chen Hui near present-day Luoyang in Henan.  He is known by many names, but one of his most famous comes from the title “Sanzang Fashi”, aka “Tripitaka Master of the Law”, from which we get the simplified name in some English sources of just “Tripitaka”.  Sanzang, or “Tripitaka”, literally translates to “Three baskets” or “Three storehouses”, referring to the Buddhist canon.  It is quite fitting, given Xuanzang's incredibly famous Journey to the Western Regions and, eventually, to India, where he journeyed to obtain the most accurate version of the Buddhist scriptures to ensure that they had the most accurate versions.  On his journey, Xuanzang apparently took detailed records of the trip, and his   “Records of the Western Regions”  provides a lot of what we know of the towns and cultures that existed there back in the 7th century – even if not all of it was experienced firsthand and  may have come through translators and second or third-hand sources. In addition, Xuanzang's biography and travelogue add a lot more information to his journey, even if they weren't necessarily written by him, but instead by his fellow monks based on his recitations to them  combined with various records that they had access to at the time.  As such, it isn't always the most reliable, but it is still highly detailed and informative.  Xuanzang would return to China and teach for many years, translating the works that he had brought back, and founding a new school of Yogachara Buddhism, known as Faxiang in Chinese, but “Hossou” in Japan.  The Hossou school was particularly popular in the 8th and 9th centuries, having been transmitted by Yamato students who had actually studied at the feet of the venerable teacher.  These included the monk Doushou, who travelled over to the continent in 653.  In 658, there are two others who came over, named Chitatsu and Chiitsu. They had travelled to the Tang court in the 7th month of that year, where they are said to have received instruction from none other than Xuanzang himself.  If this indeed was in 658, it would have been only 6 years before Xuanzang's death. Their journey had almost not happened.  The year previous, in 657, envoys were sent to Silla to ask that state to escort Chitatsu to the Tang court, along with Hashibito no Muraji no Mimumaya and Yozami no Muraji no Wakugo, but Silla refused.  They must have relented, however, as they apparently were escorting at least the monks a year or so later. Chitatsu and Chiitsu would eventually return to Yamato, as would Doushou.  Doushou is also said to have been introduced to a student of the second patriarch of the Chan, or Zen school as well.  He would return to teach at Gango-ji, the later incarnation of Asukadera, spreading the Hossou teachings from master Xuanzang. In fact, Xuanzang's impact would be felt across Asia, and much of the Buddhist world.  He would continue to be known in Japan and in the area of China, Korea, and beyond.  Japanese translations of his journeys were made between the 8th and 10th centuries from texts that had come from Xuanzang's own monastery. Nine centuries after his death, during the Ming Dynasty, Xuanzang would be further immortalized in a wildly popular novel:  Journey to the West.  The “Journey to the West” is an incredibly fantastical retelling of Xuanzang's story.  In it, Xuanzang is sent on his task by none other than the Buddha himself, who also provides three flawed traveling companions.  There is  Zhu Bajie, aka “Piggy”—a half human half pig who is known for his gluttony and lust.  Then there is Sha Wujing, aka “Sandy”—a man with a red beard and blue skin who lived in a river of quicksand.  Despite a rather frightful backstory, he was often the straight man in the story.  And then there is the famous Sun Wukong, aka “Monkey”, the most famous of the three and often more famous than Xuanzang himself.  In fact, one of the most famous English versions of the story is just called “Monkey”, an abridged telling of the story in English by Arthur Waley in 1942. “Journey to the West” is perhaps the most popular novel in all of Asia.  It has spawned countless retellings, including numerous movies and tv series.  The character of “Monkey” has further spun off into all sorts of media.  Of course, his addition was all part of the novel, but nonetheless, that novel had an historical basis, which is where we really want to explore.  Because for all of the magic and fantasy of the Ming novel, the real story is almost as fascinating without it. We are told that Xuanzang was born as Chen Hui—or possibly Chen Yi—on the 6th of April in 602 CE in Chenliu, near present-day Luoyang.  Growing up, he was fascinated by religious books.  He joined the Jingtu monastery and at the age of thirteen he was ordained as a novice monk.  However, he lived in rather “interesting times”, and as the Sui dynasty fell, he fled the chaos to Chengdu, in Sichuan, where he was fully ordained by the age of 20. Xuanzang was inspired reading about the 4th century monk Faxian, whom we mentioned back in Episode 84.  Faxian had visited India and brought back many of the earliest scriptures to be widely translated into Chinese.    However, Xuanzang was concerned, as Faxian had been, that the knowledge of the Chinese Buddhist establishment was still incomplete.  There were still works that they knew about but didn't have, and there were competing Buddhist theories in different translations of the texts.  He thought that if he could go find untranslated versions of the texts then he could resolve some of the issues and further build out the corpus of Buddhist knowledge. Around the age 25 or 27, he began his journey.  The exact date is either 627 or 629, based on the version that one reads.  That has some importance for the events that his story tells, as some of the individuals whom he is said to have met are said to have died by 627 CE, meaning that either the dates of the journey are wrong or the dates we have in other sources are wrong.  As you can imagine, that's rather important for an accurate history, but not so much for our purposes, as I think that we can still trust the broad brush strokes which paint an image of what the Silk Road was like at the time. For context, back in Yamato, this was around the time that Kashikiya Hime—aka Suiko Tenno—passed away, and Prince Tamura was placed on the throne, passing over Prince Yamashiro no Oe, the son of the late Crown Prince, Umayado, aka Shotoku Taishi.  Whoever was on the throne, Soga no Emishi was actually running things, and the Soga family were heavily involved in the establishment of Buddhism in the archipelago.  This is relatively around the time of Episode 103. When Xuanzang took off to the West, his intentions may have been pure, but truth be told, he was breaking the law.  Tang Taizong had come to power in 626, and the routes along the Tarim Basin were under the control of the Gokturks, whom the Tang were fighting with.  As such, travel to the Western Regions was strictly controlled.  Xuanzang and several companions had all petitioned Emperor Taizong for permission to leave, but the Emperor never replied. So Xuanzang did not have permission to leave—but he decided to head out, anyway.  His companions, however, lost their nerve, and so he set out alone. Of course, he didn't simply set off for the West.  At first he went city to city, staying at local Buddhist monasteries and sharing his teachings.  To all intents and purposes, this probably seemed like normal behavior for a monk, traveling from monastery to monastery, but it was actually taking him towards the western border. And it was going well until he reached Liangzhou—known today as Wuwei.  Li Daliang, governor of Liangzhou, enforced the prohibition that "common" people were not permitted to go to the regions of the western tribes.  Word had spread about Xuanzang, and when the governor caught wind of what was going on, he called Xuanzang into an audience to find out what he was planning to do.  Xuanzang was honest and told him he was going to the West to search for the Dharma, but the governor ordered him to return to Chang'an instead. Fortunately, there was a Buddhist teacher, Huiwei, who heard about all of this this and decided to help Xuanzang.  He had two of his own disciples escort Xuanzang to the west.  Since the governor had told him not to go, this was illegal, and so they traveled by night and hid during the day until they reached Guazhou. In Guazhou, the governor, Dugu Da, was quite pleased to meet with Xuanzang, and either hadn't heard about the order for him to return to Chang'an or didn't care.  From there, Xuanzang's path was largely obstructed by the deep and fast-flowing Hulu river.  They would have to travel to its upper reaches, where they could go through Yumenguan--Yumen Pass--which was the only safe way to cross, making it a key to the Western regions. Beyond Yumenguan there were five watchtowers, roughly 30 miles apart.  These watchtowers likely had means to signal back and forth, thus keeping an eye on the people coming and going from Yumen Pass.  Beyond that was the desert of Yiwu, also known as Hami. Xuanzang was not only worried about what this meant, his horse died, leaving him on foot.  He contemplated this in silence for a month.  Before he continued, though, a warrant arrived for his arrest.  They inquired with a local prefect, who happened to be a pious Buddhist.  He showed it to Xuanzang, and then ended up tearing up the document, and urged Xuanzang to leave as quickly as possible. Yumenguan lies roughly 80-90 kilometers—roughly 50 miles or so—from the town of Dunhuang, the last major outpost before leaving for the Western Regions.  Dunhuang had a thriving Buddhist community, and the paintings in the Mogao caves are absolutely stunning, even today—one of the most well-preserved of such collections, spanning the 4th to the 14th century.  However, at this point, Xuanzang was a wanted man, and stopping in at Dunhuang might very well have curtailed his journey before it had even begun.  Instead, he would likely need to find a way to sneak across the border without alerting anyone and then, somehow, sneak past five watchtowers, each 30 miles or so apart, with no water except what he could carry or steal at each point. At this point, one of Xuanzang's escorts had traveled on to Dunhuang, and only one remained, but Xuanzang wasn't sure his remaining companion was up to the strain of the journey, and he dismissed him, deciding to travel on alone.  He bought a horse, and he fortunately found a guide--a "Hu" person named "Shi Pantuo".  "Hu" is a generic term often translated simply as "foreigner" or "barbarian" from the western lands, and the name "Shi" referred to Sogdians from Tashkent.  The Sogdians were a people of Persian descent living in central Eurasia, between the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers.  That latter was also known as the Oxus river, hence another name for the region: Transoxiana.  Sogdiana appears as early as the 6th century BCE as a member of the Achaemenid Empire, and the region was annexed by Alexander the Great in 328 BCE.  It continued to change hands under a succession of empires. The Sogdian city-states themselves were centered around the city of Samarkand, and while they did not build an empire themselves, the Sogdians nonetheless had a huge impact on cultures in both the east and the west.  Sogdians became famous as traders along the silk roads, and they built tight knit communities in multiple cities along the route.  Families kept in touch over long distances, setting up vast trading networks.  In fact, there were even Sogdian communities living in Chang'an and elsewhere in the Tang Empire.  The Sogdian An Lushan would eventually rise through the ranks of the Tang dynasty court—but that was almost a century after Xuanzang's travels. There are many material items that the Sogdians helped move across the silk road, but perhaps one of the most striking things were a style of patterned textiles.  Sassanid Persia was known for its silk textiles, often woven in images surrounded by a border of pearl-shapes:  Small circles in a circular pattern around a central figure, often duplicated due to the way the fabrics were woven.  This pearl-roundel pattern was especially taken up by the Sogdians, and their fashion sense made it popular across Eurasia.  Large pearl roundel designs were used on caftans, popular throughout the Gokturk qaghanate, and the Tang court would eventually pick up the fashion of these foreigners—generally classified as “hu” by those in Chang'an.  With a round neck, closing at the side, this western-style caftan-like garment eventually found its way into Japan as the people of the Japanese archipelago adopted Tang dynasty clothing and fashion.  In fact, Japan boasts one of the most impressive collections of silk road artifacts at the Shosoin repository of Todaiji temple in Nara, and it includes clothing and fabric that show the influence of Sogdian and Turkic merchants.  The Shosoin collection contains multiple examples of those pearl roundel patterns, for example, and you can even buy reproductions of the design today in Nara and elsewhere.  The garments themselves would continue to influence the fashion of the court, indeed giving rise to some of the most popular court garments of the Nara period, and the design continued to evolve through the Heian period until it was almost unrecognizable from its origins. Sogdians were so influential that their language—an Eastern Iranian language known simply as “Sogdian”—was the lingua franca, or the common tongue, through most of the Silk Road.  If you knew Sogdian, you could probably find a way to communicate with most of the people along way.  Today, Sogdian is extinct, with the possible exception of a single language that evolved from a Sogdian dialect. Sogdians are often known in Sinitic sources by their names—by the time of the Tang dynasty, it was common practice to give foreigners, whose names didn't always translate well into Chinese dialects, a family name based on their origin.  For the Sogdians, who were quite well known and numerous, they weren't just classified with a single name, but rather they were divided up by seven names based on where they were from.  So the name “Shi”, for instance, indicated that someone was from the area of Tashkent, while the name “An” referred to a Sogdian who was descended from people from the Bukhara, and so on.  This was a practice that went at least as far back as the Han dynasty. So, returning to the story, Xuanzang's new Sogdian guide's name is given as “Shi Pantuo”.  The name "Pantuo", which would have likely been pronounced more like "b'uan d'a" at the time, is likely a version of the name "Vandak", which was indeed a very common Sogdian name meaning something like “servant” and was often used to indicate things like religious devotion, which could be related to his status as a devout Buddhist, though it also might just be coincidental.  Xuanzang was so happy with his guide's offer to help, that he bought him clothes and a horse for his troubles. And so they headed out towards Yumenguan, the Jade Pass or Jade Gate, so called because of the caravans of jade that would head out from the Middle Country ever since the Han dynasty.  In fact, the Jade Gate was originally established as part of the western end of the Han dynasty “Great Wall”.  This was not necessarily the famous Ming Dynasty wall that most people are familiar with, but the Han Dynasty wall would have been impressively high enough, with regular patrols and beacon towers.  So if you tried going over the wall, someone was likely to see you and give chase.  There is also the issue that if you had any amount of supplies you have to bring those as well—this isn't just hopping a fence.  The wall was augmented by natural features—mountains and deep and fast-flowing rivers, for example, which made walls unnecessary.  And then there was also the fact that in many places, it was just open wilderness, which was its own kind of barrier.  Trying to go off the beaten path meant wandering through uncharted territory, which someone like Xuanzang was probably not prepared to do.  It isn't like he had GPS and Google Maps to help him find his way, and if you got lost in the desert, then who knows what might happen to you. By the way, this was true even in relatively settled places, like the Japanese archipelago, up until modern times.  While there were some areas where it was relatively flat, and you could navigate by certain landmarks, if you left the roads and trails you might easily find yourself lost without access to food or shelter.  Maps were not exactly accurate.  The safest way to travel was to stick to the more well-traveled routes. Unfortunately, that meant going through the Yumen Gate itself.  There was a garrison where the road left the territory of the Tang Empire , and that garrison would be responsible for checking the papers of anyone coming into or leaving the empire.  Xuanzang, of course, didn't have the proper papers, since he didn't have permission to be there.  Fortunately, he had a guide, who seemed to know the area, and that would allow him to bypass the official checkpoint, which Xuanzang recalls seeing off in the distance.  Together, Xuanzang and Vandak snuck past the Yumen gate, and traveled several miles up the river.  There, they found a spot where the river was only about 10 feet across, near a grove of trees, and so they chopped down a few of them and made an impromptu bridge for them and their horses to cross. From that point on, until they reached Yiwu, they would have to get past the watchtowers.  Not only were these watchtowers garrisoned with men of the Tang army, but they were also the only place to get fresh water.  The travelers would need to sneak in at night to steal water from the watchtowers without getting caught. The farther they traveled, the more Vandak seemed to be getting cold feet.  Normally, this wouldn't have been an issue had they been normal travelers, but in trying to avoid the watchtowers they were making themselves into fugitives.  If they were caught they could both be killed.  He protested several times that they should just go back, and at one point Xuanzang seemed worried that Vandak was contemplating how much easier this would be for him if he just killed the old monk.  Finally, Xuanzang told Vandak that he should leave, and solemnly swore that if he was caught he wouldn't rat out Vandak for his help.  Vandak, who had been worried about just such a scenario, nonetheless took Xuanzang's word and the two parted ways. From that point on, Xuanzang recounted that the trail through the desert was marked by nothing but skeletons and horse droppings.  He thought at one point he saw an army in the desert, but it turned out to be a mirage.  Finally, he saw one of the watchtowers he had been warned about.  Not wanting to get caught, he lay down in a ditch and hid there until the sun went down. Under cover of darkness, he approached the tower, where he saw water.  He went to have a drink, and maybe wash his hands, but as he was getting out his water bag to refill it and arrow whizzed through the air and he almost took an arrow to the knee.  Knowing the jig was up, he shouted out: "I'm a monk from the capital!  Don't shoot!" He led his horse to the tower, where they opened the door and saw he really was a monk.  They woke up the captain, who had a lamp lit so he could see whom it was they had apprehended.  Right away it was clear that this traveler wasn't from around those parts—not that anyone really was, it seems. The Captain had heard of Xuanzang, but the report that had been sent said Xuanzang had gone back to Chang'an.  Xuanzang, for his part, showed a copy of the petition he had sent to the Emperor--one that he hadn't actually heard back from.  He then told the captain what he planned to do.  The captain was moved, and decided to look the other way.  He gave him a place to stay for the night and then showed him the way to the fourth watchtower, where the captain's brother was in charge, and would give him shelter. Sure enough, Xuanzang made it to the fourth watchtower, but he wasn't sure if he could entirely trust the captain, so again he tried to just secretly steal the water, but again he was caught.  Fortunately, the captain there was also sympathetic.  He let Xuanzang stay and then actually told him how to get around the fifth watchtower, since the captain there might not be as lenient.  He also told Xuanzang about an inconspicuous oasis where he could get water for himself and his horse. Reinvigorated, Xuanzang had another challenge to face.  Beyond the watchtowers was a long stretch of desert.  It was a journey of several hundred miles, and it started poorly.  First off, he missed the oasis that the captain of the fourth watchtower had indicated he could use without anyone firing arrows at him.  Then, he dropped his water bag, such that he was left with nothing.  He thought of turning back, but he continued, chanting mantras to himself.   He was dehydrated and exhausted, but he continued onward.  Some days into his journey, his horse suddenly changed course of its own accord.  Despite his efforts, it kept going, eventually coming to a pasture of grass around a pond of clean, sweet water.  That ended up saving him, and he rested there for a day, before traveling on.  Two days later, he arrived at Yiwu, aka Hami.  He had made it.  He was free. Or at least, he was until he returned to the Tang empire.  After all, Xuanzang did plan to come back, and when he did, he would have to face the music.  That was a problem for future Xuanzang.  Of course, he was also a lone traveler.  He might be free, but he was far from safe.  He was now entering the Western regions, and he would need to be on the lookout. The people of Hami, also known as Yiwu, were known to the Han dynasty as members of the Xiao Yuezhi—the kingdom or coalition that once controlled much of the northern edge of the Tarim basin.  They had been displaced by the Xiongnu, and the area would go back and forth between different hegemons, so that by the time of the Sui and early Tang dynasties they were under the sway of the Gokturks.  Still, as close as it was to the Tang borders, they no doubt had contact, and indeed, Xuanzang was given lodging at a monastery with three other monks who were “Chinese”, for whatever that meant at the time. If you've heard of Hami today you may know it for something that it was famous for even back in the 7th century:  their famous melons.  You can sometimes find Hami melons in stores to this day. Regarding the melons and other such fruits and vegetables—the area of Hami is a fairly arid land.  Hami does get some water from the Tianshan mountains, but in order to have enough for agriculture they instituted a system that is still found today in Hami, Turpan, and other parts of the world, including arid parts of northwest India and Pakistan through the middle east to north Africa.  It is called a Karez, or in Persian it is called a Qanat, and it is thought to have originated in ancient Persia around the first millennium BCE and spread out through the various trade routes. The idea is to basically create underground aqueducts to take water from one place to another.  This would keep them out of the heat and dry air above ground to allow them to continue to flow without losing too much to evaporation.  To do that, however, required manually digging tunnels for the water.  This would be done by sinking wells at regular intervals and connecting the wells to each other with tunnels.  But it wasn't enough for the tunnels to be connected, they had to also slope slightly downwards, but not too much.  You want enough flow to keep the water clear, but if it flows too quickly or creates waves, the water might erode the underground channels in ways that could cause problems, such as a collapse.  All in all, they are pretty amazing feats of engineering and they can carry water a great distance.  Many are under 5 km, but some are around 70 km long. These karez would have been the lifelines of many towns, creating a reliable oasis in the desert.  Rivers were great, but the flow could vary from floods to a mere trickle, and the karez system provided relatively constant flow.  This allowed for agriculture even in the dry areas of the Western Regions, which helped facilitate the various kingdoms that grew up in this otherwise inhospitable region. While eating his melons in Hami and chatting it up with his fellow eastern priests, Yiwu was visited by an envoy from the neighboring kingdom of Gaochang.  Now Hami, or Yiwu, sits at the eastern edge of the Turpan-Hami basin, aka the Turfan depression, a large desert, much of which is actually so low that it is below sea level.  In fact, the basin includes the lowest exposed point in the area of modern China at Ayding Lake, which is 158 meters below sea level.  From Yiwu to Gaochang, you would follow the edge of the mountains west, to an area near a small break in the mountain range.  Follow that break northwest, and you would find yourself at the city of Urumqi, the current capital of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region in modern China. Xinjiang covers much of the area known in ancient times as the “Western Regions” that remains within the modern political boundaries of the PRC. The envoy from Gaochang heard about Xuanzang, and reported back to his lord, King Qu Wentai, who immediately sent a retinue out to escort the Buddhist monk across the desert to his city.  They included multiple horses for Xuanzang, so he could change at regular intervals.  His own horse was left behind, to be brought along later.   After six days on the road, they came to the city of Paili, and since the sun had already set, Xuanzang asked to stop for the night, but the escorts urged him on to the Royal City, which was not much farther on. And so he arrived around midnight, which means he likely couldn't immediately take in the size of the city.  Gaochang was an immense walled city, and even today, ruined as it is, the site of it is quite formidable, and it is so well preserved it is considered a UNESCO world heritage site.  Perhaps since wood was relatively scarce, this is why so much of the construction was made of brick and earthworks.  Fortunately, this means that many of the walls remain, even today—eroded and crumbling, but still towering over those who come to see them.  In places they have also been rebuilt or reinforced.  And in a few, very rare instances, you can still see some of the traces of paint that would have once been so prevalent throughout a city like this.  At this time in history, Gaochang, also known as Karakhoja, was under the command of the Qu family.  The population was largely Han Chinese, and it had often been overseen or at least influenced by kingdoms in the Yellow River basin.  But it was also the home of Turks, Sogdian merchants, local Turfanians, and more.  It was even called “Chinatown” by the Sogdians, and yet attempts to further sinicize the region had provoked a coup only a couple of decades earlier.  Even though he showed up in the middle of the night, Xuanzang is said to have been welcomed by the ruler of Gaochang, Qu Wentai, as he entered the city.  Perhaps this is why the escorts had been pushing so hard—the King himself was awake and waiting for Xuanzang to make an appearance.  The King and his attendants came out with candles in their hands, and they were ushered behind curtains in a multi-storey pavilion.  The king apparently grilled him through the night, asking about his journey until it was almost daybreak, at which point Xuanzang requested rest.  He was finally shown to a bedroom that had been prepared for him and allowed to sleep. The next day king assembled the leading monks of his kingdom before his guest.  These included the monks Tuan Fashi and Wang Fashi.  Tuan Fashi had studied in Chang'an for many years, and he knew his Buddhist scholarship. And Wang Fashi was a superintendent, and it was his duty to look after Xuanzang and butter him up with the hope that he might stay and provide the king with the prestige of having such an esteemed monk.  They put him up at a monastery next to the royal palace—the “daochang”, aka “dojo” in Japanese, which would be a whole different diversion. Ding Wang suggested that this might be the same as the Chongfu Monastery mentioned in a colophon on a 7th century copy of the Sutra of Perfection of Wisdom for Benevolent Kings. It was found by a German expedition at a site in the Turfan basin in the early 20th century, and now sits in the possession of Shitenno-ji, in Osaka—rather appropriate given that Shitenno-ji was around at the same time all of this was happening.  The colophon is attributed to a “Xuanjue”, and a “Xuanjue” from Gaochang, in the Turpan basin, was associated with helping Xuanzang in his later years.  Perhaps this Xuanjue first met Xuanzang during this first trip to Gaochang. Qu Wentai tried his best to dissuade Xuanzang from continuing on.  This may be simple platitudes from his biographers, but it also may have been genuine.  Having a learned foreign monk from the Tang dynasty staying at the palace monastery would likely have added to Qu Wentai's prestige by association, and it would have potentially brought more individuals to the city of Gaochang. Speaking of which, all of this first part of the journey—up to Gaochang—comes primarily from Xuanzang's biography by the monk Huili.  Xuanzang's own “Records of the Western Regions” didn't include much on it, probably because by the time that he returned to the Tang empire, Tang Taizong had annexed Yiwu and Gaochang, so all those were now considered part of the empire, rather than foreign regions to the West. After staying a month at Gaochang, Xuanzang decided it was time to continue his journey.  Disappointed though Qu Wentai may have been that his guest would be leaving, he nonetheless outfitted him handsomely.  He provided goods, including coins, as well as 24 letters to the 24 countries that he would pass along the road, adding a roll of silk to each as a sign that they came from the King of Gaochang.  He also gave him food, a small retinue, and horses to help carry everything.  Letters of introduction would have been important across the Silk Road.  There was, after all, no way to contact someone ahead of time, unless you sent runners. Merchant communities, in particular, would often be connected across long distances through regular caravans, which carried letters to their relatives, facilitating communication across vast distances.  Merchants who were bringing in a caravan of goods would know that there was a friendly community waiting to help them when they arrived, and would likely even have an idea of what was happening and what to bring. For someone traveling alone, however, having a letter of introduction would have been important, as they didn't necessarily have access to those communities by themselves.  The letters would provide introduction and let people know who you were and may even ask for assistance on your behalf.  It may seem a small thing, but it was the kind of gesture that was likely a great help to a traveler like Xuanzang.  Remember, he was not on an official mission from the Tang court—almost expressly the opposite, as he had not been given permission to leave.  So he wouldn't have had anything identifying him, and after Gaochang he likely couldn't count on being able to communicate with his native tongue. And so he was sent on his way.  As he left the city of Gaochang, the king and others accompanied Xuanzang about 10 li, or about 3 or 4 miles, outside of the city.  As they watched him head off, who could have known if he would complete his quest?  Or would he just end up another ghost in the desert? Next episode, we'll pick up Xuanzang's story as he strikes out for Agni and beyond.  Until then thank you for listening and for all of your support. If you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

Known as the world's capital of small commodities, Yiwu in eastern China attracts hundreds of thousands of sellers and buyers from both domestic and international markets every day. In this episode of our Makin' it in China series, Harold Mori, a young Peruvian entrepreneur, shares his journey of starting a trading business from the ground up right here in Yiwu.If you enjoy feature stories like this one, be sure to check out "Footprints" on your favorite podcast platform!

Cette semaine, place à notre Série de Noël autour des jouets et de ce qu'ils disent de notre époque... La Chine est le principal contributeur sur le marché mondial des jouets. Plus de 79% de la production mondiale de jouets y est réalisée. Problème : vendus à prix cassés via les sites chinois de commerce en ligne, ces articles présentent dans de nombreux cas un réel danger pour la sécurité des enfants selon la Fédération européenne des industries du jouet, Toy Industries of Europe, ainsi que la Fédération française des industries jouet-puériculture. Reportage dans le sud-est de la Chine de Cléa BroadhurstDans l'immense centre d'export d'Yiwu se trouvent des milliers de petits magasins de jouets où l'on trouve aisément des peluches, des jouets en bois, des cerfs-volants, de quoi faire des heureux sous le sapin de Noël. Seulement les jouets chinois ont parfois mauvaise réputation. Et pour cause, certains revendeurs - anonymes - confient qu'ils ne font pas toujours attention aux réglementations imposées par l'UE lorsqu'il s'agit de leurs produits. « Le sigle CE n'a pas d'importance », nous indique cette vendeuse. « Si vous avez besoin du CE, nous pouvons imprimer une étiquette pour vous si c'est nécessaire. À Yiwu, ce sont tous des faux. Où pourriez-vous trouver des étiquettes authentiques ? Si vous avez des exigences spécifiques, nous pouvons les imprimer très facilement et fabriquer les étiquettes pour vous ».À lire aussiL'ours en peluche à travers l'histoireCertains produits ne requièrent pas de certification particulière, comme nous l'explique Li, dans son petit magasin recouvert de cerfs-volants chinois. « Par exemple, les cerfs-volants n'en ont pas besoin car ils sont simplement fabriqués en nylon. Les pistolets à eau, en revanche, peuvent nécessiter des certifications dans certaines régions, mais nous disposons des certificats nécessaires ».Le marché européen demeure primordial pour ces commerçants. « J'ai tous les certificats, EN71 et CE, je les ai tous », nous confie Wu, qui représente une usine locale de jouets. Pas question de déroger aux réglementations pour elle. « Mes produits sont locaux, j'ai les certificats et ils sont tous approuvés. Justement parce que j'exporte principalement en Europe. L'Europe représente une part importante du marché, de l'ordre de 70 à 80 % »La question demeure : ces jouets présentent-ils un danger pour les enfants ?  « Ce n'est pas du tout le cas », nous dit Yue, qui balaye l'hypothèse d'un revers de la main. « Le marché est tellement grand et tout est axé sur le commerce extérieur que tout le monde fait attention à l'impact. Mais nous vous le diront clairement : si une certification est nécessaire, vous devez vous en charger vous-même. Nous ne nous occupons pas de ces processus. Nous produisons des jouets depuis de nombreuses années et nous n'avons jamais rencontré de tels problèmes. Tout est conforme aux normes de sécurité ». Son voisin, attentif, s'immisce dans la conversation. « Il est impossible que les jouets soient toxiques. On les offre aussi aux enfants chinois, ce n'est pas seulement pour l'Europe ». Dans la chaîne d'approvisionnement, chaque acteur, du fabricant au détaillant, joue un rôle dans le respect des règles de sécurité. Mais, selon les commerçants d'Yiwu, c'est le fabricant qui porte la responsabilité principale, en veillant à la conception, à la production et aux contrôles pour garantir la conformité. Si les produits quittent l'usine en toute sécurité, cela augmente les chances que les consommateurs européens soient protégés tout au long de la chaîne.À lire aussi14 décembre 2023 - La course aux jouets

Jianggan Li, Founder & CEO of Momentum Works, and Jeremy Au discussed: 1. Singles' Day 11/11 eCommerce: Jianggan shared his recent immersion trip to Hangzhou, where he observed China's vibrant e-commerce and live commerce sectors. With Singles' Day on November 11 approaching, he noted how this biggest shopping holiday in China has influenced shopping behaviors across Southeast Asia. Major platforms like Lazada and Shopee now promote Singles' Day regionally and have inspired monthly events like 10.10 and 9.9 sales, reflecting how Chinese shopping culture has permeated the region's markets. These frequent sales resonate with local consumers, and the rise of “payday promotions” as SEA brands continually invent new reasons to engage consumers between big sale events. This trend has raised demand for popular Chinese products, which occasionally leads to counterfeit goods, such as longjing "dragon well" tea.. He also highlights a visit to a logistics center in China, where human workers sort 3.5 million parcels daily, which rise to 8 million at peak periods, significantly contrasting Southeast Asia's relatively lower volume. 2. Trump vs. BRICS & Exporters: Reflecting on the US-China trade war, they outlined how supply chain shifts began during the 2016 Trump administration when tariffs on Chinese exports pushed some manufacturers to relocate to Vietnam and Cambodia. Although challenging, this diversification trend was essential for reducing tariff exposure and mitigating political risk. Chinese founders had to overcome frauds and scams in these frontier markets. The recent BRICS summit, with Southeast Asian nations like Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand joining as partners, highlights a shift toward a multi-polar economic strategy. A handshake between Xi Jinping and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the summit indicated efforts to ease border tensions while China maintained its role as India's largest trading partner. 3. Singapore Suzhou Industrial Parks & Hangzhou: They examined the role of regional industrial parks, with a focus on the Suzhou Industrial Park, a collaboration with Singapore that set a model for attracting FDI and spurred local development. Both Jiangsu (Suzhou) and Zhejiang (Hangzhou) provinces now lead China's wealthiest regions, each with a GDP per capita of about $20,000, double the national average. Suzhou's FDI-driven approach contrasts with Zhejiang's privatized clusters, where private entrepreneurs, such as those in Yiwu, naturally formed their own industries. This economic contrast highlights how both regions have fostered complementary ecosystems, with distinct founder “vibes” reflecting diverse business cultures. Jeremy and Jianggan also discussed why China is holding off on a fiscal stimulus till America's election results, how Singaporean brands are entering America's “affordable luxury” niches which align with America's higher GDP per capita, and the expansion of Chinese brands like Luckin Coffee and Chagee into the US market. === Jianggan Li is the Founder & CEO of Momentum Works, a Singapore-headquartered venture outfit. Prior to founding Momentum Works, he co-founded Easy Taxi in Asia, and served as Managing Director of Foodpanda. He is also the co-author of the book Seeing the Unseen: Behind Chinese Tech Giants' Global Venturing. He holds an MBA from INSEAD and a degree in Computer Engineering from Nanyang Technological University. Apart from English and his native Mandarin, he is also fluent in French and conversational in Cantonese & Spanish. === Watch, listen or read the full insight at www.bravesea.com/blog/ trump-vs-brics-exporters Nonton, dengar atau baca wawasan lengkapnya di www.bravesea.com/blog/ trump-vs-brics-exporters 观看、收听或阅读全文，请访问 www.bravesea.com/blog/ trump-vs-brics-exporters Xem, nghe hoặc đọc toàn bộ thông tin chi tiết tại www.bravesea.com/blog/ trump-vs-brics-exporters

Hoy hacemos dos viajes: uno en tren y otro en barco. El primero recorre desde Madrid hasta la ciudad china de Yiwu la nueva ruta de la seda. En "El tren" (La Caja Books), el periodista Guillermo Abril junto con Samuel Sánchez recorre más de 13 000 kilómetros para entender el vínculo cada vez más estrecho que Asia y Europa tienen entre sí. Nuestro segundo viaje parte de las montañas del sureste mexicano, en Chiapas, donde el Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional salió en 2021 con rumbo a Europa para "invadir con el virus de la resistencia y la rebeldía". Con el periodista Diego Enrique Osorno, autor de "En la montaña" (Anagrama), recorremos la historia del movimiento guerrillero y la violencia que ha vertebrado México en los últimos 30 años.

Uma dúvida que recebemos frequentemente aqui na China Gate de quem quer ir viajar para China e conhecer os fabricantes é se no mercado de Yiwu tem fábricas ou somente loja de revenda? A resposta apresentamos neste vídeo, onde nosso CEO, Rodrigo Giraldelli, gravou direto em frente a uma das milhares lojas que tem no Futian Market. Yiwu é uma ótima opção para quem quer viajar para China a negócios. São mais de 70 mil fornecedores esperando por você, dos mais diversos ramos e produtos. Se você quer importar para revender, com certeza esse lugar é ideal para você buscar fornecedores. A China Gate pode te levar para Yiwu, com toda assessoria e tradutor, para você fazer ótimos negócios na China. Toque no link abaixo e programe sua viagem conosco: https://vouprachina.com.br/ Tire todas as suas dúvidas com nosso time de atendimento: https://chinagate.com.br/atendimento/  

The much-anticipated high-speed railway connecting Hangzhou and Wenzhou officially began operating from Friday, marking a significant milestone in the transportation infrastructure of Zhejiang province.备受瞩目的杭州至温州高速铁路（以下简称“杭温高铁”）于9月6日正式开通运营，标志着浙江省交通基础设施建设取得重大进展。With this, the "one-hour transport circle" between the two cities has become a reality, connecting key urban areas and bringing high-speed railway access to more regions, according to experts.由此两地“1小时交通圈”成为现实，连接重点城区，高铁覆盖更多地区。The inaugural trains G9505 and G9508, simultaneously departed from Hangzhou West Station and Wenzhou North Station at 9 am.首发列车G9505次和G9508次于上午9点同时从杭州西和温州北出发。With the total length of the main line at 276 kilometers and a design speed of 350 kilometers per hour, the journey from Hangzhou West station to Wenzhou North station can now be completed in just 87 minutes.正线全长276公里，设计时速350公里，从杭州西到达温州北仅需87分钟。Zhang Yi, general manager of the Rail Transit Department of Zhejiang Communications Investment Group Co, said: "It strengthens the rapid connection between the southernmost part of the Yangtze River Delta region, Wenzhou, and other key cities in the region, further accelerating the integration of 'the Yangtze River Delta region on rails.'浙江交通集团轨道交通管理部总经理张奕表示：“杭温高铁的开通，强化了长三角最南端温州及沿线城市与长三角中心城市之间的快速联系，对于加快建设‘轨道上的长三角'，促进乡村全面振兴、城乡融合发展和资源要素流通等具有重要意义。”"Nanxi River Station, located in Fenglin township, Yongjia county, Wenzhou, is one of the stations along the line. Situated in the core area of the national scenic spot Nanxi River, the station is only a 10-minute drive from Huolu village in Fenglin. This village, with its idyllic landscape of mountains and rivers, is poised to benefit from the railroad's opening.楠溪江站位于温州市永嘉县枫林镇，是该线沿线车站之一。该站位于国家级风景名胜区楠溪江的核心区，距离枫林镬炉村仅10分钟车程，该镇将因铁路通车而受益。On Wednesday, Huang Shaowang, deputy director of the village committee, said: "Through the renovation of our village, we are creating a new model of rural development that combines agriculture, culture, and tourism. The railway's opening will bring more tourists to our village, thereby increasing the income of our villagers."镬炉村村委会副主任黄少旺表示：“我们正在打造农文旅结合的新型乡村，高铁开通运营将给村里文旅业态带来更多游客，也给村民带来更多收入。”The benefits also extend to Xianju county in Taizhou, particularly in the development of its medical technology industries. Xianju is home to a medical device manufacturing town located just 5 kilometers from Xianju Station on the railway.受益的还有台州仙居县，该地是我国医疗器械制造的所在地，距离仙居高铁站仅5公里。In recent years, manufacturing medical devices has become the strongest sector for entrepreneurship and innovation in Xianju.近年来，医疗器械制造已成为仙居创新技术最强的行业。The high-speed railway enhances Xianju's connections with Shanghai and Hangzhou, facilitating easier business travel and commuting for employees in the town and improving market circulation and business development opportunities.高铁加强了仙居与上海、杭州的联系，方便了仙居居民的出差和通勤，改善了市场流通和商业发展机会。The railway has also brought significant advantages to Hengdian World Studios, located in Dongyang city. Once passengers arrive at Hengdian Station, they can reach Hengdian World Studios within 9 minutes by light rail, significantly easing travel for both tourists and film industry professionals who previously had to transfer at Yiwu.高铁还为位于东阳市的横店影视城带来了显著优势。乘客抵达横店后，乘坐轻轨9分钟内即可到达横店影视城，大大方便了之前必须在义乌转车的游客和影视从业者的出行。Bao Xiuming, director of Wenzhou Railway and Urban Rail Transit Construction Management Center, emphasized the railway's broader impact.温州市铁路与城市轨道交通建设管理中心主任包秀明强调了高铁的广泛影响。"The improvement of the railway network will accelerate the flow of people, goods, capital, and information, stimulate economic and social development along the line. It supports Zhejiang's efforts to build a demonstration zone for common prosperity and integrated development in the Yangtze River Delta," he said.他说：“铁路线网的完善将加速人流、物流、资金流、信息流的流动，促进沿线经济社会发展，推动温州与核心城市群之间的交流协作和产业深度融合。”The Hangzhou-Wenzhou Highspeed Railway was built in two phases.据了解，杭温高铁分为两期建设。Yangtze River Delta regionn.长江三角洲地区

he exports of China's sporting goods and equipment surged 16.7 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2024, outpacing the overall export growth during the same period by a whopping 9.8 percentage points, according to data recently released by the General Administration of Customs (GAC).海关总署近日发布的数据显示，今年上半年，中国体育用品及设备出口同比增长16.7%，高出同期出口整体增速9.8个百分点。Data from the World Trade Organization showed that global trade in sporting goods has nearly tripled in almost 30 years, and China has become the world's top exporter of sporting goods.世界贸易组织发布的数据显示，全球范围内的体育用品贸易在过去近30年里增长了近3倍，而在这30年间，中国已成为全球最大的体育用品出口国。In Jinping county of southwest China's Guizhou Province, a global production hub for badminton shuttlecocks, more than 100,000 shuttlecocks are sold worldwide a day.在全球重要的羽毛球生产基地——贵州省锦屏县，每天超过10万只羽毛球从这里“飞”向全球。"We've calculated that about one in every 10 shuttlecocks in the world comes from Jinping," said Hu Bing, production manager of Guizhou RSL Sports Culture Development Co., Ltd.贵州亚狮龙体育文化产业发展有限公司生产经理胡兵说：“我们统计过，全球大约每10只羽毛球，就有1只产自锦屏。”Last year, the company produced over 4 million dozen shuttlecocks, generating a staggering output value of 340 million yuan ($47.73 million) and exporting nearly $9 million worth of shuttlecocks to over 60 countries and regions, Hu noted.胡兵说，公司去年产值3.4亿元，生产羽毛球超400多万打，出口总额近900万美元，产品销往60多个国家和地区。The first half of 2024 saw the company achieve even more remarkable growth, with the output value of shuttlecocks reaching 185 million yuan and exports skyrocketing by around 40 percent compared to the same period last year.今年上半年，该公司营业额进一步增长，产值达1.85亿元，出口比去年同期增长了40%左右。In the first quarter of 2024, China's exports of footballs, basketballs, and volleyballs saw a year-on-year increase of 33.57 percent in volume and 17.99 percent in value, while that of table tennis, badminton, and tennis equipment increased 0.93 percent from the same period last year to $204 million, according to GAC data.根据海关总署数据，2024年第一季度，中国足球、篮球、排球出口量同比增长33.57%，出口额同比增长17.99%；乒乓球、羽毛球、网球及相关用品累计出口额2.04亿美元，同比增长0.93%。In the first three months of this year, the country's exports of roller skates and skateboards surged 30.85 percent and 50.21 percent year-on-year, respectively. The inclusion of skateboarding as an Olympic sport has further fueled demand, particularly in countries like Russia and Japan.今年一季度，中国旱冰鞋和滑板出口量同比分别大幅增长30.85%和50.21%。随着滑板成为奥运项目，带动俄罗斯、日本等国消费，滑板出口额增长显著。In addition, treadmill exports jumped by 44.94 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, while artificial turf exports grew by 15.64 percent from the same period last year.此外，一季度跑步机和人造草同比也分别增长44.94%和15.64%。To boost the pace of "going global," Chinese sporting goods companies need to rely on greener sporting goods with higher technological content, said Bao Mingxiao, director of the China Sports Policy Research Institute at Beijing Sport University.北京体育大学中国体育政策研究院院长鲍明晓表示，企业出海的步伐要更加坚实有力，靠的是更具科技含量、更加绿色环保的“硬实力”。Dingqi Sports Goods (Huai'an) Co., Ltd. in Huai'an city, east China's Jiangsu Province specializes in the production of ball bladders, including those used in the production of footballs, volleyballs, basketballs and rugby balls. 70 percent of its products are exported overseas. For the Paris Olympics, the company exported products made from 70 percent bio-based materials.江苏淮安的顶碁运动用品（淮安）有限公司专门生产运动用足球、排球、篮球、橄榄球等球类产品内胆，产品70%出口海外。巴黎奥运会就使用了这家企业研发的含有70%生物基的产品。"This type of football is equipped with a chip capable of making 500 identifications per second to assist in determining a handball or offside instances," said Zhou Hongda, general manager of the company, adding that it produces ball bladders made from recycled and bio-based materials.顶碁运动用品（淮安）有限公司总经理周宏达表示：“这款足球植入了芯片，1秒内能做500次识别动作，通过实时数据辅助判断是否手球、越位等。” 他介绍，该公司的足球内胆用回收材料、生物基材料制成。Since the start of this year, the company has exported 4.07 million balls for training and games, including those used in the UEFA European Championship, Copa America, and the Paris Olympics.今年以来，这家公司已出口欧洲杯、美洲杯、奥运会等赛事用球及训练用球407万个。Zhou believes that the key to the popularity of "Made-in-China" sporting goods overseas lies in continuous innovation, higher technological content, and adapting to new market demand.周宏达认为，“中国制造”体育用品赢得海外市场的关键就在于不断创新，增加产品的科技含量，适应市场新需求。Wen Jia, deputy general secretary of the China Sporting Goods Federation, said fierce competition in the domestic market makes enterprises and merchants provide customized and personalized products and services by meeting customer demand and leveraging technologies.中国体育用品业联合会副秘书长温嘉表示，国内市场竞争激烈，倒逼企业和商家从客户需求出发，利用科技手段提供定制化、个性化的产品和服务。The booming sports event economy has attracted buyers across the world to purchase all kinds of sporting goods in Yiwu, known as the "World's Supermarket" in east China's Zhejiang Province. In the city, the improved efficiency of customs supervision provides a strong boost for Chinese companies to go global.赛事经济的带动下，世界各地的采购商抓住商机，来到“世界超市”浙江义乌采购各式各样的体育产品。在这里，海关监管效率的提升也为中国企业走出去提供了强大助力。Chinese enterprises are not just exporting sporting goods, but also technology, services, and brands.中国企业不仅出口体育产品，同时也出口技术、服务和品牌。"Many foreign clients recognize our manufacturing capabilities and hope to introduce Chinese production technology to their own countries. Our future may not solely involve product exports, but also technology, service, and brand exports," said Yang Lei, general manager of the foreign trade department at Hebei Jadeqi Sports Goods Co Ltd.河北杰帝奇体育用品有限公司外贸部总经理杨磊表示：“国外很多客商对我们的制造业水平很认可，他们也希望把中国的生产技术引进过去。我们以后可能不单纯地进行产品出口，也要进行技术、服务、品牌的出口。”"Our overseas strategy aligns with the Belt and Road Initiative. We not only produce products but also offer services and comprehensive solutions, facilitating integration with other industries and making our operations more convenient. Recently, we've been considering building a production base in Serbia, having just visited there, and found the environment and market conditions favorable," Yang added.杨磊说：“我们的出海思路其实就是跟着‘一带一路'走。因为我们不仅做产品，也做服务、做一体化的解决方式，这样可以更好地和其他行业进行整合，对我们来说也更便利。最近，我们正在研究去塞尔维亚建生产基地，刚去那里考察过，环境和市场都不错，很适合做市场。”

The export volume of sports products in Yiwu, Zhejiang province reached 5.02 billion yuan ($703 million) in the first half of this year, up 42.3 percent yearly.今年上半年，浙江义乌体育用品出口额达到50.2亿元人民币（7.03亿美元），同比增长42.3%。Thanks to the continuous international sports events such as the European Cup and the Paris Olympic Games, business opportunities for sports products in Yiwu have soared. The number of relevant shops in the Yiwu International Trade City has increased to over 800. And the number of foreign buyers and orders increased significantly.今年，欧洲杯、巴黎奥运会等体育赛事接踵而至，为义乌体育用品行业带来商机。义乌国际商贸城三区相关店铺数量增至800多家，外籍采购商数量、下单量明显增多。Among all categories, orders in sports products, such as basketball, football, volleyball and others surged.其中，篮球、足球、排球等体育用品订单猛涨。According to the official data, Yiwu's exports to France reached 540 million yuan in the first two months of 2024, up 42 percent year-on-year, of which exports of sports equipment increased by 70.5 percent year-on-year.官方数据显示，2024年1、2月，义乌对法国出口额达5.4亿元人民币，同比增长42%，其中运动器材出口同比增长70.5%。While absent from the arenas of the ongoing Paris Olympics, Chinese merchants are flexing their muscles on other stages, contributing to the event's sporty, joyful and inclusive ambiance.尽管缺席了此次巴黎奥运会，中国商人们在世界各大舞台上展示中国制造，为赛事的运动性、欢乐性和包容的氛围做出贡献。Made-in-China products, renowned for their superior quality at reasonable prices, have once again made their mark during the Games.中国制造的产品以其高性价比而闻名，再次在奥运会期间留下了印记。 According to data released by the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee, 80 percent of the Phryges, the mascots of the Games, are manufactured in China. Chinese manufacturers are also dominating the market for sports derivatives such as binoculars, cheering sticks and fan scarves.巴黎奥组委公布了2024年巴黎夏季奥运会吉祥物“弗里吉”（The Phryges）。中国制造商在望远镜、加油棒和球迷助威围巾等运动衍生品市场上也占据主导地位。"Many of my friends selling cheering sticks have received bulk orders for the Paris Olympics. Most of the orders were delivered to overseas markets last month," said Chen Shaomei, a merchant from the eastern Chinese city of Yiwu, also dubbed "the world's supermarket." 有着“世界超市”之称的义乌国际商贸城的陈绍美说：“我很多卖加油棒的朋友都收到了巴黎奥运会的大批订单，都是7月运往海外的。” The high quality of made-in-China products also received an unexpected endorsement from a veteran Western reporter covering the Games.中国制造的高质量产品也得到了一位报道奥运会的西方记者的认可。The reporter, who still uses a backpack for media professionals from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, praised the durability and functionality of the product. His remarks have led to soaring e-commerce sales for the Chinese producer's related products.这位记者至今仍在使用2008年北京奥运会媒体人士的背包，他称赞了其耐用性和功能性，也使相关产品的线上销售额飙升。Chinese local governments are also intensifying their city-branding efforts this year, which marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, as well as the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism.今年是中法建交60周年，也是中法文化旅游年。Guizhou, a scenic province in southwest China that gained attention in the sports world with thrilling football games played by villagers, launched a captivating photo exhibition at some metro stations in Paris.中国西南部以风景闻名的贵州也在巴黎四个地铁枢纽举办了贵州图片展，其中一张照片记录了村民们举行足球比赛，该照片在体育界引起了关注。"Walking in Paris, one can run into China countless times," the country's tourism office in Paris said on its WeChat account.中国驻巴黎旅游办事处在微信公众号上发表“走在巴黎，数次与中国相遇。”China-France Year of Culture and Tourismn.中法文化旅游年

If there's one thing that everyone knows and is eager to learn more about, it's definitely Artificial Intelligence. In our recent episodes, Round Table zoomed in on specific areas to explore when it comes to Al's impact. Today, it's the turn of the business sector! From optimizing supply chains to enhancing customer experiences, let's discover how Al is revolutionizing the way we conduct business globally. On the show: Niu Honglin, Yushun & Steve Hatherly

Yiwu é o maior mercado de pequenos produtos da China. Nesta cidade, que foi preparada para o comércio, estão reunidos mais de 70 mil fornecedores, de todos os tipos e ramos. Porém, muitas empresas e importadores brasileiros ainda possuem alguns preconceitos e ideias erradas a respeito deste grande mercado chinês. No Chinacast de hoje iremos te mostrar a grande verdade, que muita gente não quer que você saiba sobre Yiwu: os seus concorrentes e os seus fornecedores nacionais não vão gostar deste episódio. Em Yiwu, você vai encontrar desde pequenos varejistas até grandes fábricas que produzem seus produtos para serem revendidos no mundo todo. Então, se você está querendo importar da China para revender, esta cidade pode ser uma ótima alternativa para você encontrar seus fornecedores. Vale a pena você conhecer o mercado de Yiwu e visitar as lojas do seu ramo. É praticamente certeza que você encontrará bons produtos e ótimas negociações! Você quer conhecer a cidade de Yiwu presencialmente? Nós podemos te ajudar! Acesse https://www.vouprachina.com.br/, entre em contato conosco que vamos encontrar a melhor solução para você ir até a China e negociar pessoalmente com seus fornecedores.

French President Emmanuel Macron made calls to "buy European" during a speech in Dresden while on a three day visit to Germany. Macron advocated for a European preference in key sectors like defence and space, following in the footsteps of Washington and Beijing. Also in this edition, FRANCE 24's China correspondent Yena Lee goes to Yiwu, the Chinese manufacturing hub benefitting from the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Nós abrimos o nosso novo armazém na cidade de Yiwu na China, para receber todas as suas mercadorias e enviá-las para o Brasil, em segurança e com tudo legalizado. Mas, por que escolhemos a cidade de Yiwu para ser a sede deste novo armazém? A razão, nosso CEO, Rodrigo Giraldelli, explica neste Chinacast. Ouça até o final para descobrir porque Yiwu foi escolhida e como você pode começar a utilizar o nosso novo armazém.

China's decades-long economic boom was powered by workers who migrated from the countryside to cities to find jobs. But to do so, many of them had to leave their children behind. Now some cities are vying to attract migrant workers' children. Zhejiang province is piloting an experimental policy which should make it easier for migrants to bring their children with them to cities and send them to school. David Rennie, our Beijing bureau chief, and Alice Su, our senior China correspondent, examine Yiwu, a city in Zhejiang that has enacted this policy.Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you're already a subscriber to The Economist, you'll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China's decades-long economic boom was powered by workers who migrated from the countryside to cities to find jobs. But to do so, many of them had to leave their children behind. Now some cities are vying to attract migrant workers' children. Zhejiang province is piloting an experimental policy which should make it easier for migrants to bring their children with them to cities and send them to school. David Rennie, our Beijing bureau chief, and Alice Su, our senior China correspondent, examine Yiwu, a city in Zhejiang that has enacted this policy.Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you're already a subscriber to The Economist, you'll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author Noo Saro-Wiwa had not spent much time in China when she heard that cities like Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Yiwu, among others, were home to large, vibrant African migrant communities. But other than some of the headlines about the diaspora population that appeared during the COVID pandemic, she didn't know much about this faraway population. So, she set out on a three-month odyssey through China to meet the traders and other African merchants who make up the bulk of this community to find out more about their lives and what it's like for them to live in Chinese society. She tells the story in a fascinating new book "Black Ghosts: A Journey Into the Lives of Africans in China" and joins Eric & Geraud from London to discuss the adventure she had in writing the story. BUY THE BOOK ON AMAZON: https://a.co/d/cemngH9 JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject|  @Eric Olander | @christiangeraud | @noosarowiwa Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth FOLLOW CAP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.akhbaralsin-africia.com | @AkhbarAlSinAfr JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CAP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CAP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

Join us as we welcome internet marketing titan, Perry Belcher, to the AM/PM Podcast! Listen in as we journey through Perry's remarkable career path - from humble beginnings before turning to digital marketing. Perry's illustrious career even saw him get a personal call from none other than Jeff Bezos himself, a short story you don't want to miss!   The conversation continues with Perry reflecting on the rise and fall of his business and partnerships. His journey, marked by selling health supplements to launching a digital marketing business, and finally starting the Driven Mastermind and the War Room, is an insightful one for any entrepreneur. Our chat also covers the importance of joining a mastermind group, the benefits it can bring, and how it can help you gain a broad perspective of different industries.   Lastly, Perry shares fascinating insights about the role of AI in business, specifically in copywriting. From reducing labor costs to crafting compelling headlines and stories, the potential applications of AI are far-reaching. He also discusses misconceptions people have about AI and the opportunities it presents. Tune in for a riveting discussion about the intersection of AI, E-commerce, and internet marketing. In episode 365 of the AM/PM Podcast, Kevin and Perry discuss: 09:22 - Success in Real Estate and Selling 16:45 - Running Successful Events 23:30 - The Value of Networking and Collaboration 29:55 - Selling Event Recordings for Profit 34:19 - Cash Prize Incentives for Speakers 39:00 - Leveraging Email Lists for Business Success 42:06 - Artificial Intelligence And Its Impact On Internet Marketing 53:21 - Other Mindblowing AI Capabilities 57:27 - AI's Role in Various Industries 1:07:38 - Follow Perry on Facebook for Updates 1:09:46 - Kevin's Words Of Wisdom Kevin King: Welcome to episode 365 of the AEM PM podcast. My guest this week is none other than the famous Perry Belcher. If you don't know who Perry is, perry is one of the top internet marketers, probably one of the top copywriters in the world today. He's got his hands in all kinds of stuff, from newsletters to AI, to print on demand to funnels, to you name it. In marketing, Perry's either got tremendous amount of experience in it or he's heavily involved in it right now. We talked some shop today and just go kind of all over the place on some really cool, interesting topics. I think you're getting a lot from this episode, so I hope you enjoy it. And don't forget, if you haven't yet, be sure to sign up for the Billion Dollar Sellers Newsletter. It's at billiondollarsellerswithaness.com. It's totally free. New issue every Monday and Thursday. It's getting rave reviews from people in the industry and some of the top people in the industry as well as people just getting started. So it's got a little bit different take on it and just a lot of information. Plus, we have a little bit of fun as well in the newsletter. So hopefully you can join us at billiondollarsellers.com. Enjoy today's episode with Perry. Perry Belcher, welcome to the AM/PM Podcast. It's an honor to have you on here. How's?   Perry: it going, man, Dr King, esquire at all. I'm doing great, buddy, I'm doing great. I'm just trying to survive this hot, hot, hot summer that we're all having, you know.   Kevin King: Well, you're out there in Vegas. Y'all had floods, right. I was seeing some stuff on TikTok, like some of the casino garages and stuff were flooding.   Perry: Yeah, there were some floods out here, so it's been. We got like years worth of rain in two days or something like that, they said, which we could stand. It didn't hurt. But the hot weather out here is just the way that it is. You get used to it after a little while.   Kevin King: Yeah, it's the same in Austin. It's like 108, I think today, and I know you know, football season just recently started and everybody's complaining that they're doing a game. One of the first games was in the middle of the afternoon, like 2.30 in the afternoon and like man, half these people are going to be dying out there, you better have some extra medical. You know supposed to do these things at night in Texas during September.   Perry: My kid did in the middle of the day and he had some days that they were kids passing out, you know. So I don't miss the heat in Austin. I'll take the heat in Vegas instead. It's different kind of heat to me.   Kevin King: Yeah, it's not. It's more of a dry heat, not that, not that human heat that we have here. I'll take it so for those. There's some probably some people listening that don't know. They're like who's this? Perry Belcher character? I never heard of this Perry Belcher guy and if you haven't, you've probably been living on a rock in internet marketing, because Perry Belcher is one of the living legends out there and when it comes to internet marketing, it's not just he dabbles on Amazon, but it's Amazon's just a little piece of what he does. He does a ton of other stuff. So, and you've been doing this since you're like, you've been an entrepreneur since you're like I don't know, three years old. I heard you selling hot dogs. I mean, you've pretty much done, everything from run from selling hot dogs to running, I don't know jewelry, pear shops or something, to having little kiosk in the mall, to crazy kind of stuff. I mean, just for those that don't know who the heck you are, just give a little bit about your background.   Perry: Sure, I'm world famous in Kazakhstan. I started out, you know, I grew up really poor in little town in Kentucky, paducah. It's a sound of dead body makes when it hits the floor. And I'll as soon as I could. I stayed there until I could drive. I could drive a car. I got the heck out of there and went to the big city, nashville, you know, and I got into, you know, early on I got into retail and I owned 42 jewelry stores. At one time when I was really, really young, before I was old enough to buy beer, I owned 42 jewelry stores. Isn't that crazy? That's crazy. Not that I didn't buy beer, but as long as I was legally buying beer Exactly. You know. So I was in retail. I went out of, you know, eventually I made three different runs and retailed it, Okay, and then I got into manufacturing. I found I really enjoyed manufacturing Great deal. I still do a lot of manufacturing, as you know and then along, I guess about 1997, for those young whippersnappers that were born about then that are on in your Amazon crowd right In 1997, they invented this thing called the interwebs and Jeff Bezos started a store called Amazon and I sort of got. I sort of got all caught up in the web thing. And you probably don't know this story. It was a true story, Kevin. I got a call from Jeff Bezos when I owned craftstorecom, so this was in probably 1998 or 1999. I got a personal call from Jeff Bezos wanting to talk to me about buying craftstorecom and rolling it into the Amazon family. And then they were only selling books, they were bleeding I don't even know $100 million, a quarter, or some crazy number. And I'm like dude, you're, I'm reading about you, you're losing money, I'm making money. You know, I think you got this reversed. I probably should buy you. I swear to God, I said that. Yeah yeah, I said that that was about best I can figure about a $750 million mistake.   Kevin King: Well, it's funny you say that, because I mean we go back, we're old school when it comes to way, before you know all this internet marketing craze. We were doing old school marketing, you know, by by putting a postage stamp on an envelope and sending it out. And I remember I have a couple of similar stories back around that same time, early late 90s, early 2000s. The guy at MySpace had just started somewhere around in there and those guys reached out to me. I had a newsletter, an online newsletter going at the time, and they reached out to me to do something and I turned. I just ignored them. I was like what's this MySpace thing? I never heard of it.   Perry: I did the same thing with Jim Barksdale. You know who that was. Yeah, yeah, barksdale wanted to buy one of my companies and I blew them off, and he was Netscape you know they also used to do back you might remember this back.   Kevin King: I had several different websites and to get traffic back before there was Google and all these. You know, this SEO and all this stuff is basically as Alta Vista and you know, I love that, I love that Yahoo and all these guys and you could just just by putting stuff in the meta tags, you'd rank, you know on top of the crap out of yeah. You put a text down at the bottom and all the good, all the good, all the good all the good, all that kind of stuff. But I one of the things, what you might remember this there is what's called ring sites. So in order to get traffic, you go to some guy would figure out how to get people to his site and then it would be like next or previous, and you'd hit a button and it would go to the next, previous, and then we had a newsletter that was doing about 250,000 emails a day back before can spam and all that stuff and to get traffic to it. You know, we were getting on Howard Stern Show when he was on terrestrial radio and we were doing all kinds of crazy stuff. But I was working with a site called BOMAS B-O-M-I-S and they had one of these ring sites and we they were like one of our top sources of traffic and I just remember there's two guys there running out of their apartment or something. I talked to one of them. This is like probably around 2000 or so, ish, 2001. He said, hey, you're going to be dealing with me from now on. My buddy is moving on. I'm like all right. I said James is moving on. I said, ok, cool, what's he going to do? He said I don't know, some sort of encyclopedia or something. I'm not sure what he's going to do. He's got some some crazy idea. Turns out it was Jimmy Wells from Wikipedia. I was actually working with Jimmy Wells from Wikipedia before he was Jimmy Wells from Wikipedia. Isn't that crazy? It's crazy, I mean the stories that we can tell from the early days of the Internet.   Perry: When I look back, I just can't. You know my buddy's favorite saying, and I've adopted this I can't believe how stupid I was two weeks ago.   You know like you. Just you just realize you know just the boneheaded stuff that you did when there was so much opportunity. The first domain I ever bought this was like just when domain registrations came out I bought formulas, the number four you oh wow com, the most worthless domain anyone could ever own, when I could have probably bought internet.com Pretend to buy anything and I bought the most boneheaded stuff. You know.   Kevin King: Well, you remember the guy that he got in early he bought was at sex.com or something for, like you know, 10 bucks or whatever it cost to register it back then before there was a go daddy, yeah, and remember the fight like 20 years ago over that domain because it became like the most valuable domain on the entire Internet or something. Remember that huge fight about that.   Perry: It was. It was crazy, but I know there's been a bunch of those stories. Man, I've got some friends that really did well buying domain real estate early on. I bought a lot. I mean I've, over time, I still think domains are a bargain. I really do Most. For the most part, I own stuff like sewing.com and makeuptutorials.com and diyprojects.com. I still own some big stuff that we operate and I own a bunch of other big stuff that we don't operate and you know I'm buying after markets.   Now I bought conventions.com for a little over $400,000 two weeks before COVID Boy. That timing was extraordinary. You know what could go wrong. Conventions are impervious to depression and so anyway, yeah, so I started buying. You know I got a manufacturing and I immediately saw the benefit of online selling because you could cut out all the different layers of middlemen in the in between the consumer and the manufacturer. So I've been a manufacturer selling direct to consumer for a long time. And then I got. I got in business with Ryan Dice. After I got in a lot of trouble, almost went to jail in the supplement business scares me to death to this day. You know I lost everything I had, almost went to the clink, and when that all got settled out I went to business with Ryan Dice and we he turned me on really to the information selling world.   Kevin King: How'd you guys meet up? Was it at some events, or did you just meet up? Yeah, we met up.   Perry: Yeah, I'll tell you, the story is pretty funny story. So we met at a Yonix Silver event. We went to dinner with, you know, all these millionaires, you know in the room, the millionaire mastermind people, and we went to this big dinner and we had like 20 people at the dinner and when the check came it was like, well, I only had a salad, well, I only had the soup, and you know they're all dividing up checks and crap. And I'm like, come on and Ryan looked at me and I looked at him. He said do you just want to pay this bill and get the hell out of here? And I said, yeah, so we split the bill. And that's how we became friends, how we met. And then, you know, when I we knew each other through Yonix and then when I got in trouble in the supplement business, I mean, I had loads of friends when you're, when you're now and when you're when you're netting out half million dollars a month and you're flying all your friends on private jets, the Thomas and crap on the weekends, boy, you got lots of friends, you know. And as soon as the money ran out, well, guess what? The friends ran out. You know, you know everything was, you know. Nobody knew who I was. Then, you know, and Ryan called me and said hey, man, I got this business in Austin. It's doing a couple million dollars a year. If you'll come help me run it, I'll give you half of it. Oh, wow, and we did $9 million in the first seven months.   Kevin King: And that was a digital marketer. For those of you that don't know, that's correct.   Perry: Yeah, it was called touch tone publishing then, but eventually we rebranded it became digital marketer and then out of digital marketer came traffic and conversion summit and out of traffic and conversion summit came the war room mastermind and we ran all three of those for years. And digital we sold a TNC to a Claire and Blackstone Blackstone group about four years ago, I guess. Then I sold my interest in digital marketer to Ryan and Ryan, roland, richard about two years ago and then we dissolved war room about a year ago I guess they were going a different direction and and Kossim Islam and Jason Flylon I started driven mastermind so but yeah, it was a great, great run with. Those guys are super good, guys are super, super smart and we were business partners for 14 years long time. It's a long. That's a you know outlast a long time.   Kevin King: That's a long time in this business longer than all my marriages, almost divine, you know. So going just down. We'll talk about some of those in just a second, but just down that back what? What got you in trouble in the supplement business was it claims that you just didn't realize you couldn't be. Yeah, what was the it?   Perry: was kind of a combination. I was. I was legitimately a pharmaceutical manufacturer. We were an FDA pharmaceutical manufacturer. I got all the licensure and all that I got in trouble with the state had nothing to do with the federal. They called in federal, they called in DA, they called in everybody, like guys. Everything he's doing is correct. But the state took issue to some claims and what ended up happening? They realized that they had not. The thing is, once the state gets their tentacles into you and have your money, you know it's really hard to get rid of them, right? They're like a tick. But. But at the end of the day, the only thing that that that they actually that stuck was something called ways and measures. So that meant that my equipment wasn't precise enough to put the exact amount of product per bottle. So let's say it says it's two ounces right, mine might be 2.1 or 1.9 ounces right, and that's there's. There are state laws about that. They're called ways and measures laws. They're governed by the people who manage gas pumps, if you could believe it. But out of everything that they originally said that I was doing, they dropped everything else and that was the only thing that actually, at the end of the day, was it? But I had to settle it and they got all my money and all my stuff and left me three million dollars in debt. And when, when I went to Austin and we hustled hard, you know, for a couple of years, and I paid all that off, I didn't file bankruptcy on it and it was hilarious because I threw a Perry's broke party. Yeah, about two years in, when I got to zero, I got back to just broke. I wasn't three million dollars, right. I threw a giant Perry's broke party as maybe one of the most fun parties we've ever had. It was a little you're in.   Kevin King: Austin's, you do that out at Willie Nelson's ranch. Because, I was tapes, remember he did that when he got in trouble for seven million bucks and he did some sort of big ass fundraising party out. He has this like old ranch out West of Texas, west of Austin that's. It's got a studio lot on it, basically an old.   Perry: House. Then I just had it right over the house and we had a big pool party and, oh my Lord, so many drunk people. It was a lot of fun, it was good time, so I got a lot of friends at Austin and you'll talk digital marketer.   Kevin King: the conference from like. I think the first one's a few hundred people to what the? Now it's five, six thousand people, or yeah, we get the biggest internet for if you're an internet marketing, yeah, just in in general, it's not just Amazon, it's like across the board, it's the biggest one out there, I think.   Perry: Yeah, before the year before COVID, I think we had the biggest year was seventy two hundred. Oh wow, seventy two hundred, seventy eight hundred, I can't remember. They thought we were going to ten thousand the next year and they rented the Coliseum in San Diego instead of the hotels. And then, of course, covid yeah, and it was just a you know, two or three years we had sold just prior to that. So have we not have sold that first year of COVID? I think was probably around a five million dollar loss, but they had clear and had insurance for it, fortunately. So I don't think they. I don't. I don't know the exact damage, but I know it would have probably wiped us out and we've been because we had a refund. Tickets with In the venue would not have soft to hook and I was a big bunch of crap when it comes to running conferences.   Kevin King: I mean, I do my billion dollar solar summit. You do your events now, like you do. You've done the couple AI summits, you've done the Perry's weird event or whatever. You do quite a different things. You have the Whatever, whatever, whatever. You done like three of those which are fascinating. You do, you know, you have the driven mastermind and you're involved with digital market and our space. There's a ton of people it's almost gotten through Events for Amazon sellers, like everybody. Everybody in their dog wants to have an event and the vast majority of them suck. There's like seven people there they can't sell tickets that are losing their shirt. Very few of them actually make money. What is the key actually, if you want to do an event or you're thinking about that to actually making these things work, is it the long term play you gotta have? The upsell is at the.   Perry: Well, events, events are very, very much an uphill battle. That's the reason. When you go to sell one, they have a lot of value. If you go to, if you build an event to a thousand, two thousand people, it has a lot of value in the exit market because once an event hits a certain inflection point, they're insanely profitable. So you're so, like digital market, we lost money On TNC for probably the first four years that we did it. But the way we made up for it, we filmed all of the sessions and we sold them as individual products. So we built all of our. We had a thing that really made that thing magical, because every session had to be good enough to sell as a product. So it made the event itself, you know, great because you had to have executable do this, do this, do this, do this. It couldn't just be a fluffy talk, right. Every talk had to be good enough to sell as a product when Ryan and I were doing them. So for the first three or four years we didn't make hardly any money, but we generated a lot of product out of that. We sold throughout the year. So we, you know, we did make money a couple million dollars a year From the product sales and then over time, as the attendance goes up, the ticket prices tend to go up. You start at really low ticket prices and you ratchet ticket prices up as the event gets bigger and bigger, bigger, and you start taking on sponsors and we basically got to the point by the time that we sold. You don't really want to sell right, because the sponsors were paying for 80 90% of the cost to put on the event. Tickets were you then over a thousand dollars a ticket? We were selling 7000 tickets. You didn't really need to sell, you know, because you the event was paid for by the sponsors. The ticket sales money was just free money. And then whatever you do at the event, you know in sales is even more free money. But when you look at companies like Clary on the by these things, they don't care about the product creation, they don't care about selling at the event, they only care about tickets and they make a lot of money on hotel rooms. So they so in when, when they're promoting they got a lot of cash, so they'll buy all the hotel rooms in downtown San Diego a year before we, right before we, now we announced the dates, they buy all the rooms and then when you're buying your room from bookingcom or American Express or whatever, you're actually buying that ticket from Clary on, because Clary on in a lot of cases bought all the rooms in the city for $120 a night and then a year later you're paying 350 on AmEx and they just pay AmEx a commission, a 20% commission.   Kevin King: That's different than the way when I do like for a billion dollar so much in order to not have to pay you know, $3,000 to turn the Internet on in the ballroom, or to have to per day, or from not having to pay for the ballrooms or this or that. We have to do guarantees. Rather than buying the rooms up front, we have to guarantee that we're going to put 50 butts in the in these beds or whatever. If we don't, we get penalized, you know, yeah, right.   Perry: We did a little bit different model. Yeah, we did, we did too. You still have room blocks, you know, and the killer and the killer in the convention businesses contract negotiation and room blocks. You know, if you can get room blocks down, we did one recently at the ARIA and I didn't have a room block anywhere because the ARIA surrounded by like eight hotels within walking distance, so there's no reason to book a room block. Everybody could stay where they wanted within that complex and the room blocks Everybody could stay where they wanted within that complex. And then we got together and it didn't. It didn't create the problem, but you know they get you. Would they charge you more for F&B? So they, they're going to get you right. So I've got my own event center now I've got a 50 person event center. I think we're going to expand to 100 people and and I really prefer having smaller workshops anyway, they're they're more intimate, they're more effective and if you're going to sell something else to the attendees, the smaller the room, the higher your conversion rates will always be if you're offering something to the attendees.   Kevin King: That's true, yeah, so then you took it from there to the mastermind you did the war room for a long time and I know my buddies, Manny  and Guillermo, at Helium 10. They joined the war room about two years into working on helium 10. They said that was the number one life changing thing that they did.   Perry: They killed it to that.   Kevin King: I don't know the numbers, but I know it's. I see what he's spending and what he's doing, so I'm like it's some serious numbers. But they they attribute that to war room, because there was some. Y'all did one event and I think it was in Austin, actually around 2018 ish, and it was all about system. Whatever the talk was on that one, because they're quarterly, they were quarterly deals. I think it was all about systemizing and getting out your way and like cutting all the riffraff. I don't, but they said that was. It was game changing for them and made them tens of millions of dollars. So, but to join a war room was what 30 grand, I know driven was what you have now which I've been driven 30 grand.   Perry: Yeah, I've been to.   Kevin King: I've been to driven. I went to the one back in July which was excellent out in LA and and I love going to these. Those of you are listening. You know this is not an Amazon conference. A lot of us go to Amazon conferences, but I think the best conferences for me are actually the non Amazon conferences, because I go into something like a driven where there's yeah, there's a handful of Amazon people there, but there's also a bunch of Facebook people. There's also a bunch of domain people, there's SEO people, there's people that you know just have some sort of a shop in Baltimore that you know do internet marketing and you, you meet this range of people and for me it's brainstorming sessions. I'm uninterrupted. You know if I'm watching stuff online, even the recording of that, you know I got phone calls coming in, the dogs barking. You know wife's nagging, whatever it may be. You're interrupted. But you're sitting in a room from nine to five, obviously not in the room. You're sitting in a room From nine to five listening to people, these people talking a lot of it. You might already know, some of it may be new to you, but you're just in there. One guy says something, perry says something, and then Kazim says something, and then Jason says something, and whoever else the speaker says something, you start going. If I put all these things together and I can do this for my business, holy shit, this is freaking incredible. And so that's. These people look at me. And why the heck would I pay 25 or 30 grand to be in some sort of event? And if in the Amazon space, I personally wouldn't, because I'm going to be the one delivering most of the value in a lot of cases. And so why would I pay to join something? They should be paying me to come to it. But when you go to something where it's a cross section of people in the marketing world that all think like you but they do different things, I think that's the most valuable thing, would you? Would you agree?   Perry: I think honestly, I think in a good mastermind and that there's that good being in parenthesis and a good mastermind. I don't think you can lose money. I think it's almost impossible. I've made money in every mastermind I've ever been in you just, I like the idea of the diversity, right. I might learn something from a guy in the funeral industry that can be applied to somebody that's selling weight loss, right. You never know. And you know my benefit. I guess I've been around a long time, like you, kevin, I've been around the block a bunch and I've been fortunate enough to work with like hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of businesses Pretty intimately in the, in the, the war room and now driven setting, and you know I get to see what's working and what's not working from like a 10,000 foot view inside all these businesses. So for me personally it's a great benefit that I get to learn something from really diverse. You know I learned the other day I was talking to a friend of mine, a client, that that they're in the, they sell online, that you book an appointment, you know they call you in, whatever, and they're in an industry that I have no interest in, no knowledge of, right. But they figured out that if they once somebody's booked an appointment, if they put a zoom, a live zoom, on the thank you page with somebody sitting there going hey, kevin, so glad you booked your appointment. By the way, jimmy can take you right now if you want, right. That one thing those, those people are coming in that way, or converting nine times higher than the people who book a normal sales call. And the beautiful thing now is.   Kevin King: You can do that with AI. There's tools with AI where you could actually, when they fill in that form I'm registered, I'm Kevin air dot AI and all that yeah, several and one that you could actually and you could put in you upload a spreadsheet or tie it into. You know, through an API to your, your cell system, that Jenny is available and it can actually, as I'm typing in, kevin King it's in the background recording a video with with Perry saying hey, hi, kevin, this is Perry. I glad you just signed up. Jenny's available right now. It's all automated and all like holy cow how to help her is just sitting around it and you know the conversions on that go through the roof.   Perry: Oh, they're nutty and but that's something I learned from a person who's in the like the the trauma they. They serve trauma psychiatrists, that's their market and I'm like I would never know that in a million years. Right, but but how many other businesses or clients of mine could that one tactic be applicable to? The answers? A lot, right, so you. So, when you go into those rooms where you know to be in driven, you got to be doing at least a million a year, but I think our average is around seven million a year gross and, and some you know up to, you know there's there's some hundred million dollar Folks and big players in there. There's some big players there, but you but nobody's stupid, right? You're in a room full of really, really smart people when they're basically telling you what they're doing. I joke about. I get paid for people to tell me. I get paid for really smart people to tell me what they're doing. That's really working and what I right, what a great gig I got right. But, yeah, we've been doing it for a really long time there. Those groups masterminds are hard to keep together and Keep happy and all that there because they are, because they're intimate, people share a lot of details and sometimes you have personality, kind of little things. This is crazy nutty stuff. That happens that you, the only problem with those things are just, they're a, they're a bit to, they're a bit to manage and you know that, as far as the 30 grand goes, or 50 grand, or 70. I know a lot of people charge. I know a buddy mine charge is 70,000 a year. You know we act like that's a lot of money but everybody's got an idiot on their payroll that there's a more than 30 grand to, I promise you. Everybody does. Everybody has a dodo on their payroll that they should have fired a long time ago but he brings the doughnuts or something and you don't farm that. Would you rather have that dodo licking stamps four hours a day or would you rather, you know, have access to some of the smartest people and your peers and you know really Really that? Keep you accountable, keep you on your toes and keep you up to date, because we do a call every week along with the meeting. So I I'm not pitching it down, I don't. This is sound like I'm hey, go buy my thing, but no matter what the industry you're in, get into a mastermind group. If you can, it'll one that you can afford.   Kevin King: You know ours is out of reach for most people because they're they're not because it's they can afford it, because they just don't meet the minimum sales, like you said, like you know, if you're at a one million and you said the average is around seven, you know, for 30 grand a year, all you need is one, one little idea, one thing, just you, just the ROI could be immense on just one thing.   Perry: I've heard a hundred times and I got all my value for the year within the first two hours. The first meeting yeah, you know, I've heard that so many times because this Kevin King gets up and talks and says something really smart and you go. Well, that was worth it, right, I got. I learned a thing that I didn't know and and, like you said, when you're doing, the beauty is the reason we don't take people that aren't doing a lot of money yet. It's hard to ROI. But if you're already doing let's say you're doing seven million a year and you get an idea that gives you a 5% bump, right, let's 350 grand, yeah for an idea. And you, you know, you're in for a year. You're in for 52 calls and four live meetings and Intensives and networks and private calls and all kinds of stuff. It's you know and I'm not saying for us, just for any man mind if you get a good mastermind, you can't lose money if you, if you have a good enough business already that you can ROI.   Kevin King: One of the things that you do that's really cool too is, like you said. You know, with digital market and I agree that you know you're recording it, turning it into content you do that now. Well, you'll do a Like that, the weird event you you straight up say, hey, come out to this thing. Yeah, it's gonna be a hundred of you here, but I'm recording this. I'm gonna turn this into a product. Yeah, you turn it into six products. You know, and I didn't with my billion dollar seller summit. I didn't used to record those, but now that's half the prop. That's where the actual the profit is. It's actually in recording it and then selling it to the people that didn't come. But one of the cool things that you do, like it driven and some of your other events your AI event you did this. I think you do it. Probably pretty much everyone I've ever been to is at the end you say get the kick the cameras out of the room, turn everything off. Let's grab a bottle of wine. You sit up with the stage. You might bring a couple other your partners or the couple other speakers and it's just two hours, three hours. They're just shooting the shit of Q&A and, yeah, stuff that comes out of that Alone pays for the entire event.   Perry: Yeah, the unplugged we've we've been doing unplugged forever because at the end of most events, you know, you still have unanswered questions and I don't want people to have unanswered questions. But also some people just don't want to talk about, they don't feel comfortable talking about the particulars of their business on camera. Yeah, so you know, if they because you know, sometimes a lot of my students are also Gurus, right, and you know how gurus are they don't want to tell you that. Well, they don't want to tell you that they're having a hard time making the lease payment on Because they're pretty ill, hurt their image, right, I talk about all of my screw ups and Almost going to jail and going broke and all it, because you know it's real, that's the real of people. But but a lot of the guru guy, well, I can't say that because it was just destroying my image. So I like doing unplugged sessions a lot of times because they people feel a little more comfortable talking about their challenges and Without feeling like it changes their position. And I think sometimes, just, you know, people don't want to ask their question on a microphone in front of a thousand people for fear of embarrassment. And what if my questions? A dumb question. So when you're just sitting down Slugging back a beer and you know chatting they feel more comfortable asking the questions. They probably should be asking it we I've done that as a policy for a really long time. We do wicked smart and we do unplugged, and those are the two. You know we always ask for the best idea in the room, and that that was a funny story.   Wicked smart was invented the first year that Ryan and I did Traffin conversion summit. We programmed three days worth of content for a three-day event and At 11 o'clock on the third day we were out. We'd have anything else to talk about. We actually we had miscalculated our time and we have anything else to talk about. So we went to lunch and we said man, we got to fill all afternoon. What are we gonna do? And and and I don't know if Ryan or I are together, I think we pretty much together we came up with the idea let's just challenge people to come up and tell us the smartest thing They've learned in the last six months and how it affected their business, and let's give whoever gives the best idea. And I think the first person that came up, ryan or I won Jeff Mulligan's, a good friend of ours and he's from as a former boss tonight lives in New Hampshire and he always says wicked smart, that's wicked smart, you know. And yeah, and the first person came up and they did their thing was whoo, that's wicked smart and that's stuck. And that's how wicked smart got started. But we never did unplugged. I used to do unplugged with Andy Jenkins at Stompernet years ago when I would. I used to go speak for them every now and then and one of the things that I did was really, really cool was called unplugged and we just Andy and I, would sit down on the edge of the stage. I don't, andy was brilliant. I don't know if you ever knew him or not. He was absolutely a really really brilliant guy and he and I would sit on the edge of the stage and talk to people for hours. You know it was a lot of fun. So I kind of picked that up from Andy.   Kevin King: Yeah, I do that at the billion dollar source. I'm not do a hat contest, so the last day, what well? I do two things. I incentivize the speakers to bring it, so I put a cash prize on the speakers. So, because I don't want them doing the same presentation they just did it three other conferences or same thing they talked about on podcast I want them to bring their a game, so I put a five thousand dollar cash prize on the first and twenty five hundred on second. It's voted on the last day. I'm ineligible. I always speak last, so I'm ineligible.   But all the other speakers that I invite after the last one spoke, everybody votes On who they thought was the best speaker, deliver the best value, and then that person gets five grand. So it's become like an honor to do that and then, as a result, everybody is bringing next level stuff that they normally wouldn't talk about. Because, and then I publish the list of the and you know, if there's 15 speakers I Public, I start at number 10. I don't show number 11 through 15. I want to embarrass somebody totally, but I start at number 10 and go backwards and announce them up like it's. You know, like it's a billboard top 100 or something, casey casem or whatever and it works really really well because Everybody's. If you're not in the top 10 of a speaker, you're like you know you didn't do so well, you didn't resonate, and then you're not coming back if you need a spelling of my name for the check. You've been involved in AI for like seven years before. It was the cool thing to do, I think probably six yeah, probably six years.   Perry: I got. I spoke on AI at the largest TNC, that one before COVID. I spoke on AI and showed Jarvis and Well said labs and a bunch of those before Anybody or anything, and and everybody in the room was just blown away by it and I feel certain they didn't do anything at all when the dog, you know. But I was using it for copywriting and we were building services For and like this AI bot that were it'll be after this Heirs, but but this AI bot, you know, we're really concentrating more on the business models that you can apply AI to. So the first AI bot summit was all about Opening people's minds up to it, so they understood what it was, understanding how to use the tools and and really just grasping this. One thought of If you had 10,000 really smart people willing to work for you 24 hours a day for free, what would you have them do? That's always my question, because with AI and a little bit of robotics, that's what you have. You have an unlimited amount of Robotic slaves to do your bidding right, whatever you want, and they don't take breaks and they don't break up with a boyfriend and they don't sue you for, you know, workplace compliance issues and all that stuff and, and you're gonna see, I think it's already happening. It's just people aren't exposed to it in mainstream yet, but Corporate is projecting like huge profits over the next few years as they Diminish the amount of workers, physical workers they haven't replaced with AI Elon Musk whether you like him or not, you know, cut the workforce at Twitter by 90% and arguably, the experience for the end user hasn't changed.   Kevin King: Yeah right, yeah, it's, it's your event back in just to tell a quick little story. Then we'll go into this. But your event back in April. You're showing some business uses. You know you're talking about the army of 10,000. You showed something about a. You know here's a building, the payroll of this building and use AI and the payroll goes from I don't know some crazy number of a million dollars a month to 86 dollars a month or what some exaggerate there.   Perry: It's the Empire State Building and the payroll. The daily payroll in the Empire State Building is about I I'm gonna paraphrase, I don't remember the numbers, but it's about a million dollars or more a day and the average worker output 750 words of text a day in white collar America. So if you translate that into the cost of open AI to generate the same 750 words, it's about 42 bucks, I think yeah, it's like you know it's it's in 42 I mean for all of them, not for one of all of you know 42 bucks or 92, but it wasn't much.   Kevin King: It was less than less than 200 dollars, I think, to generate the same amount of work product one of the things that you talked about there were newsletters and like how AI can automate a lot of newsletters and and I'm a I'm gonna disagree with you a little bit there on where you can actually have. I think at that time you may have changed your tune now I'm not sure. But you're like let AI do all the writing, do everything. You can just put these things on autopilot and I think that's definitely possible, but the quality sucks and for the most part, unless you're just assembling links. But if, but, but. What you said there actually about newsletters got me thinking. It's backed on that same thing we're talking about earlier bringing this all together. Here is where, about going to events. It's like you know what I used to run a newsletter in the late 90s and early 2000s that we that had 250,000 daily subscribers. We crushed it as using that as a lead magnet to sell memberships, to sell physical products, to sell everything. What, if you know? And this Amazon product space, everybody's always trying to build audiences and they're always like go build a Facebook group, go Create a blog post and you, as you know, the most valuable asset in any business as your customer list, your email list, your Custom list and be able to use that when you want, as you please. And you can't do that on social media. You have no control with algorithms on Facebook, you know, have no control over how many people see your LinkedIn post or or anything. But with an email list or a customer base database, you do. I was like, wait a second, what if we took newsletters and did this with physical products and actually to build audiences? So if I'm selling a dog products and I happen to have sustainable dog products, I'm like what if I build an audience? A dog, the dog markets half of America. That's too big. Well, if I niche that down to some people who ends dogs and sustainability, create a newsletter for them. I'm not trying to sell them anything. This is not a promotional email from my company saying, hey, look at our latest product, here's our new things. But it's more of a about the dogs, about dog training, dog tips, food tips, whatever. And then occasionally spreeking on some affiliate links To test things or you maybe even get a sponsorship. So make this thing self-sustaining and when you're ready to launch a product, you have an avid, rabid, loyal fan base to launch that product to as like this is the way to actually build things. So we I started looking into it Devoured everything you you showed about newsletters. You even set up a special tele I think it was telegram Newsletter channel, devoured everything in there. I went out, devoured everything in the newsletter space for three months, like everything is like. I already know this stuff, but I want to re educate myself on the latest tools, the latest strategies, and I just launched one In August, august 14th for the Amazon space. That's that I already have an audience there. Let me figure this out. Let me, like, figure out what are the best tools, the best systems, and then I can spread this to across multiple industries, multiple things, and that's what we're doing now and it's hugely Successful so far. And and AI is a part of that. But I'm not letting AI write it. AI is more of the, the creative side. It's how it it will rewrite something. If I'm trying to think of a headline, I'm like what's a better way to say X, y, z? I'll type in what's a better way, you know, to say we're ten ways that there are funny and catchy, in the tone of Perry Belcher, whatever it may be, to say this you know, give me all these cool ideas and then I mix and match, or sometimes it nails it, or I'll write a. I do a six you, you talked about this and one of your things the six second video, and so the beginning of every one of my newsletters is a six second, basic six second story. It's a personal story About me. It's something about me meeting Michael Jordan, spending a night with him in a sweet and Atlantic City the day before the night before he first retired, and you know it's crazy. Stories are about my divorce or about you know, so you're a naked girl on the balcony. I know it's, it's edgy, crazy story. But then I tie that back into the physical products and I'll use AI sometimes, maybe to help tweak that. Or if we got it some scientific document from Amazon about how the algorithm works, I'll use it to read the document, summarize it and then, you know, rewrite it with a human touch and add personality to it. So that's where using AI in other industries. I think it is brilliant. Most people aren't getting that right now. Most people just think of it as this is a threat to my job, this is a threat to you, this is the terminators coming to kill me and take over the world.   Perry: So what about? Everything's a conspiracy theory.   Kevin King: Yeah, I mean AI. I was just had just had a chat in August, so it's my father's 82nd birthday and I was sitting there for an hour explaining AI to you know, an 82 year old and a 79 year old in their mind was just, they're just was blown. They're like how do you know all this? This is, this is like science fiction movies or something, and like this is what you can do with it. And most people don't understand that. What are your thoughts on on AI right now and how people are misunderstanding or misusing and what are the best opportunities out there?   Perry: Well, circling back to your newsletter thing that the AI sucks for newsletters, it depends on the kind of newsletter you're writing.   Kevin King: That's what I said. If it's a link, newsletter or something, you can do it.   Perry: If it's a, if it's an aggregated or what you call a link newsletter, what I call a curated newsletter, they add as a really good job at writing basically a tweet and then linking to the article, and you do that like eight or nine times and you got a newsletter. But did you see the one?   Kevin King: the hustle, I think it's. They did a study. Like people are saying that. I don't know if you saw this from the hustle, but the hustle actually hired a guy, he went out and he did Let me see if I can fully automate a newsletter 100% AI so they had their programmers do some stuff and they put it out. It was about the nineties. So they would take today. You know, if today is, you know, April 6th, no, august 6th 2023, they would do August 6th 1993. What happened on that day? You know? Jurassic.   Perry: Park, the whole movie.   Kevin King: But the thing is it was repeating itself. The way it was writing was like all it was just you got to have, you got to have ins that.   Perry: Do a final review. I mean you got to have a human still, do a final review. Yeah, we've got a system. So Chad, my partner Chad, built a software system we're about to launch actually it's called Letterman and it we manage 18 newsletters a day through it and we do it with three outsourcers.   Kevin King: And the way that we do it is we hand out the we handpick what we're going to talk about.   Perry: So basically, we have a bunch of API feeds that tell us these are the stories that are trending about this subject today, and then our guys can go in and just hit, click, click, yes, yes, yes, no, yes, yes, no, delay, delay, delay. So maybe for a future issue, and then it's going to pull together those links and drop them into our software and then the software reads the article and then writes a like a tweet, that tells them to go, that compels them to go read this article. The call to action is compelling them to read the article. Right?   Kevin King: So that's SDO, then something really. It's a. Or is it a newsletter? It's a newsletter.   Perry: So this all goes into a newsletter and basically like, for instance, financials, a great example. The capitalists is ours and we want them to be able to get the gist of, like the Wall Street Journal and three thumbs swipes. And even though we're only writing, there might be 10 links in here. Right, we're writing like 140 characters on each link, compelling you to go click the link, and AI is writing that.   Kevin King: Okay.   Perry: And then they're going over and reading the actual article on the original source, right, okay, so so it's expanded.   Kevin King: It's an expanded judge report or something. It's exactly what it is.   Perry: It's not. It's not even kind of like it. It's exactly what it is Now the opposite. That's only really useful if you have a news worthy topic. Yeah. News or financial or something that's not for entertainment, financial entertainment, sports, politics things that change every single day. But if you're in the Amazon space, you got to think about it more like a, a magazine.   Kevin King: That's what I do, yeah.   Perry: So what we'll do there is find a feature article or three features. Three feature articles is even better. So we'll, let's say, for instance, my things on Amazon, and I'm talking about optimizing the perfect Amazon listing, right? I don't know whatever, but I'd go find three, the three best articles I could possibly find on that subject anywhere in the world, feed them into the AI, have them read all three and then write me a new article. And oftentimes the way we keep it interesting, we have characters, ghost writers created that right in the style of whomever right. So, but I mean really detailed. But one of the things that we found, Kevin, that's killing right now that you might find is our email list. I'm on a mission to get my email list to never send a promotion ever.   Kevin King: That's what I'm on to. I'm on to yeah.   Perry: So the way I do it is by sending out content, so like Perry might send out an email. You're doing it every day right now.   Kevin King: I get an email from you every day on copywriting Big, long email right. Yeah, big long. No, I save them. They're valuable. I mean, some of them go into my swap file.   Perry: It's a subtle.   Kevin King: It's a subtle like you're staying top of mind. You're doing it. Dan Kennedy does it right now and there's a couple others. He's doing that with Russell, but I and they're valuable. You can just read that and never do another thing. But it's you're staying top of mind and then you'll put in something OPS, remember the AI summits coming or whatever that stuff works.   Perry: But what's about to happen with those lists and we're doing another list right now is, once you open that thing about headline writing right, I can fire off a straight up promotion to you.   Kevin King: Yeah, you're segmenting based on what I click and what I do open and read Instantly.   Perry: So you're opening reading my article, right? So you just read my article about headlines and then the. Then you close that article down close that email. The next email in your queue is from me going hey, fibs, copywriting course is 50% off today. Great deal, and you're already so pre-framed to that. The open, the open rate on that second email is like 70 to 80%. Yeah, yeah, we're doing that.   Kevin King: We're going to do that in the product space, where we will watch what people click and if they're always looking on the docs and story, we'll start feeding them more docs. And there's a tool out there, there's a what. There's a tool that does this for the AMA right now, that that does newsletters, where it automated it watches everything and automatically get basically creates a personalized feed in a newsletter we want to Instagram.   Perry: We basically want to Instagram the newsletter business. So if you're only opening dots and stuff, then we want to deliver dots and stuff to you. If you're only delivering lip plumper articles, then we want to deliver a lip plumper off offers to you and and make the newsletter more lip related.   Kevin King: If that's your thing you're into in a makeup space, we're talking about it for newsletters, for you know Amazon sellers, but you can do this for physical products. You can do this for any industry and then leverage off of that. You see that they're always by clicking on the docs and ads. Then you start driving them to your print on demand docs and t-shirts, or you start driving them to Amazon to buy docs and bowls or whatever it's there's a guy that sells drones on Amazon.   Perry: You should have a drone newsletter. You know. You absolutely should have a drone newsletter. We say when, when Perry and I are talking about newsletters there's a big misconception in my mind.   Kevin King: Maybe you have a little bit different take on it, but so many people have what they call a newsletter. You go to their website you know the drone maker, sign up for our newsletter and the newsletter is nothing but a promotional email. It's like hey, we just announced two new parts. We just announced this to me. That's not a newsletter. That's a good one. That's not a newsletter.   Perry: That's a good one. You're not going to get deliverability on it either I mean a newsletter provides value.   Kevin King: It's like 95% value, 5% promotional. It's valued, something you want to get it to where people look forward to getting it, not, oh God dang. I just got another freaking email from drones. Or us Delete, delete, delete. They like I got to open this because they may have some cool tactic in there on how to fly my drone, you know, or in heavy winds, or whatever. Whatever it may be. That's where you got to be thinking when you're doing this, and AI is a great tool. And I always remember something you said when just as a quick aside here, it's a quote I often re-quote you on this and credit to you but you always said, when it comes to selling products on Amazon, people don't buy products on Amazon. They buy photos, absolutely, and so can you talk about just for the Amazon people.   Perry: Nobody can buy a picture. Nobody can buy anything on the internet. It's impossible. All you can do is buy a picture or something that's. Or if you're writing copy, you're creating a mental picture of a thing, right? So yeah, I'm a big believer in product photography being a giant piece of what you do and making something that's demonstrable. If you can actually show how it works in a 30 second video clip, I think that's different than anything. You know that works more powerfully than anything, because you've got to, and design I think you're seeing now is becoming more and more important the quality of your design, because we don't have any way to trust companies, right? You don't really have a way. It used to be the old Dan Kennedy world and Dan at the time was right. You know, ugly sells and pretty doesn't, right? The truth is today, pretty outsells ugly, and that's just. We've proved it eight times, eight times over. Pretty outsells ugly, and especially if you're selling a physical good, right? So don't skimp on the amount of money you spend on photography and photo editing and all those things. I was in was in Kevin interesting thing I was in Guangzhou, China, and I went to this illustration company. They do illustrations, you know. Have you been to? You've been to Yiwu before? Yeah, I've been able. Ok, so you know, upstairs in Yiwu, like on the fourth and fifth floor, it's all service companies, web companies, and I found a company up there and they were doing watches so they would take a watch. You can't take a good enough photograph of a watch for that photograph to actually work in a magazine. It's an impossibility. So what they do is they take a picture of the watch and they pull it into an illustration computer and then there's a program just for jewelry that has all of these textures and paint brushes and all that and they actually build the watch on top of the photo. They build an illustration of the watch and if you ever pick up a magazine and really look at, get a magnifying glass and look at the picture of the Rolex on the back right, you can see where there's an illustration piece cut here or there. You don't see any of the photo. They completely overlay it. But sometimes it takes these guys two weeks to set on illustrator and replace every little pixel dot. Everything is a vector and then they send that off and that.   Kevin King: But now AI can do a lot of that.   Perry: Yeah, I don't know how much I would trust it to do that, but yeah, it probably can. It can certainly enhance the photos a lot. You're seeing AI photo enhancement become a really big deal. Have you seen that thing that takes? I mentioned it at AIBotson. I'm trying to think of the name of it now Topaz.   Kevin King: Yeah.   Perry: Topazai. Well, you can take your old video footage and it'll turn it into 4K footage. It looks pretty doggone good. I mean, you take an old piece of footage that you shot 10 years ago and you run it through there and it'll give you a whole face lift and make it really appear to be a 4K footage.   Kevin King: Yeah, as Remini does that for photos, you can have some old photo or even something you downloaded, some stock image you downloaded online. It's kind of low res because they want you to go pay for the high res. Just download the low res, run it through Remini and it'll upscale it. And upscaleio is another one. There's a bunch of them and some of it's like holy cow. This is amazing stuff.   Perry: Another year from now, probably most of the things that we're using services for now will be you know you don't have to. We're making a lot of money right now in the Philippines by our outsource company uses AI to do things for people. So if you wanted an illustration of a product or whatever, you could send it to man. We're going to charge X for that, but we're actually going to use tools that cut our labor time down by 80, 90%. We haven't got it to where we can cut it all the way out yet and we still hire art directors. You know, really, but it allows you to, instead of hiring 30 B minus designers and you know an art director, you use AI and you get three or three or so, three or four really high level art directors and you don't need all the carpenters anymore. Right, and if you've seen the way they're building houses now, with the brick laying machines and all that all the carpenters, all the framers that won't be a profession in another 24 months.   Kevin King: Well, that's the scare I think that general public has when it comes to AI is like, well, it's going to take my job and so I don't want that, but look what happened in the industrial revolution, look what happened when the wheel wasn't been it. People will adapt and if you don't adapt, you're going to get left behind. And I think right now, one of the biggest skills if you're listening to this and you're, you know, in high school or college or you're young and still trying to figure you need to learn how to do prompting Prompting. I think good prompting versus okay prompting can make a world of difference with AI. As this gets more sophisticated, being good at prompting is going to be a major skill set that's high in demand. Would you agree with that?   0:55:51 - Perry: I think so. It's funny though, you know. Now you can go to open AI and say write me a mid-journey prompt. Yeah you know this and use this camera lens and this but you don't want the camera lens.   Kevin King: That's where photographers and artists right now are.   Perry: You kind of don't. You can actually have open AI right the mid-journey prompt for you. It's crazy and a lot of people are doing that and I think that's. I think prompting is going to become easier and easier, but it's still going to require imagination.   Kevin King: You know.   Perry: No, no artificial intelligence engines ever going to be able to replace imagination. You know it's not going to happen. So I think that we're we're we're fine for, you know, a good long while. I don't see it being a problem, but there's good money to be made right now with just arbitrage. You know how it is, kevin. You've been around this business long enough. When, anytime, a market is inefficient, that's when all the money's made, right, and right now you got people who need things done. Nobody wants to work, right? So you know AI is just filling the slot perfectly, so we can offer services. Now that used to be. You know, like. We'll do unlimited video editing for $2,000 a month, right? Well, we're doing 90% of that video editing with AI. If we were doing it by hand, we'd have searched $10,000 a month, right, and the end of the day, the customer doesn't care. The customer's getting the desired product delivered within a timeline. They don't really care if you did it yourself or if a robot did it. And if they do care, well, it's probably not your kind of customer, right? So all the stuff that you guys go through of writing product descriptions and all your SEO, your keyword loading and your product photo enhancement and all the stuff that you do, I'd say within a year, probably. Right now, if you're studious you can do 90% of it?   Kevin King: Yeah, you can, but within a year. I mean, it's been a big thing. I just was in another mastermind with a big Chinese seller. He does $50 million a year or something. He's based in China and sells into the US and he said that AI has been a leveling ground for the Chinese sellers.   Perry: Yeah, of course.   Kevin King: Because now they used to, you'd have all that broken English and stuff on listings or they couldn't understand the culture to write it in the right way. And he said with AI, that advantage is gone for Westerners, so you got to step up your game and now it's in. Still, you have an advantage in branding or innovation or some other areas, but it's leveling the playing field for a lot of people.   Perry: Yeah, we found it. We found with Mid Journey packaging design.   Kevin King: Yeah.   Perry: It's been. Packaging design mockups have been amazing. We've come up with some really great packaging ideas that we wouldn't have come up with and for the most part you can send those over to your factories in China and get a reasonable.   Kevin King: When people are doing that for product. Now they'll come up with a product idea like, hey, I want to make a I don't know a new dog bowl. You'll have the AI create. You know, they'll give it some parameters. It needs to be this, it needs to be slow the dog down from eating or not slip on the floor, whatever Right and have the AI create a hundred different models of it. Just boom, boom, boom. Use 3D illustrations, put that into a tool like PickFu, let people vote on it and then, you know, have the top couple. You know, go to molding and make prototypes and then do some additional testing. You couldn't do that. That's just what you can do. Now is just some of the times, sometimes almost mind boggling.   Perry: And robotics have really taken down molding costs.   Kevin King: Yeah.   Perry: Back when you and I started, you know I want to custom mold for this. Well, it'll be $100,000. Now you know, six grand you know, whatever it lasts, you know, depending on what you're molding, but it's crazy how cheap molding costs have gotten.   Kevin King: So we're almost out of time here. Actually we've gone over, but just real quick before we wrap up. What are? What would you say are three things out there that you're seeing right now that either hot opportunities that people need to be paying attention to, or three big, or maybe even three big mistakes that people are making when it comes to trying to sell physical products to people.