Yiwu: China´s little Arabia

The eastern city of Yiwu is a buzzing trading center swarming with businessmen from home and abroad. Tens of thousands of Middle Eastern traders make their way to Yiwu every year, accounting for a large percentage of foreigners there. And their presence is transforming the small Chinese city into a little Arabia.

The call for Friday prayers in Yiwu. Time for thousands of Middle Eastern traders and businessmen to gather for prayers.

Every Friday, the city's main mosque offers another proof of its cosmopolitanism and its booming economy. There are buyers from Lebanon, traders from Yemen, entrepreneurs from Egypt, all here for their weekly prayers.

30-year-old Palestinian businessman Hazem Shyoukhi was one of the first people to make the long trek to Yiwu in 2000.

Palestinian businessman Hazem Shyoukhi said, "From 2000, Yiwu was like a small village. Now it is a big city, with a lot of foreigners, a lot of Muslim people. Because of business here, everything has changed."

Armed with nothing but a keen business sense, many traders have set up shops in Yiwu. They are offering their services to Middle Eastern buyers looking for bargains.

And the city doesn't disappoint, It offers plenty of products that have become hard to come by in the conflict zones in the Middle East. Their prices and varieties are another major attraction.

Lebanese businessman Ali Husseini said, "There are many Arabic businessmen who come here because Yiwu is very famous. They also come to Yiwu, and not to other places, because they can purchase things here in small quantities, and not be restricted to buying in bulk."

With its thriving business community, Yiwu is also becoming an ideal place for many Middle Eastern traders to set up homes.

A trader's wife Shirien Shtoukhi said, "I am very comfortable here because the situation is not like Palestine. In Palestine, the environment is very tense. The Israelis control everything, even the economy is under their control. So I've found life more comfortable in Yiwu."

Local schools are also catering to the needs of the foreign population. Separate classes are held, and children can learn both Chinese and Arabic.

Middle Eastern restaurants and cafes have also sprung up, providing an oasis of food and entertainment.

For these traders, they are carving out a new Silk Road linking the Middle Eastern economy with China's.