(Yicai) Jan. 10 -- Yiwu, a Chinese city known as the world's largest small commodities factory, has once again welcomed a group of people belonging to the Lisu minority to cover a shortage of labor during the upcoming Spring Festival.

Almost 180 people who were born in southwestern China's Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture arrived by bus in Zhejiang province's Yiwu, also known as the "world factory," on Jan. 6, Yicai learned. They will start working for five companies such as Huatong Meat Products, Daqian Food, and Dingmei Garment, even during the seven-day holiday in mid-February. 

Yiwu-based companies’ demand for labor and Nujiang residents' demand for jobs and better livelihoods match so the partnership began three years ago, Luo Xuwei, deputy director of Yiwu’s center for employment and talent management, told Yicai. China has around 763,000 Lisu people, mostly living in Yunnan and the Tibet Autonomous Region, and they do not celebrate Chinese New Year as they have a corresponding annual celebration called the Kuoshi Festival that starts in December.

Luo said that companies have adjusted their recruitment campaigns following different regions' cultures and customs. For example, when tens of thousands of villagers gather at the Village Super League, an annual soccer tournament in Guizhou province organized after the Spring Festival, the job center arranges talks between companies and potential new hires. Moreover, the center targets Anhui and Jiangxi provinces around the same time.

Feng Linyin, human resources manager at Yiwu-based candy maker Daqian Food, said that the firm began hiring employees from Nujiang in 2021 to guarantee sustained production during the Spring Festival. This year, the firm has transported 130 workers from the prefecture this time to work during the public holiday together with 40 full-time employees.

Last year, Daqian Food managed to improve its business performance by 20 percent from a year ago and its export orders were booked beyond March as production capacity was increased due to a new plant finished last year and widening exports to emerging markets such as Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, Feng said.

Huatong Meat Products, which produces fresh pork and chicken products, has already welcomed over 30 workers from Nujiang this year and more are on their way, said Wu Xiaopeng, head of recruitment. The workers are aged between 25 and 35 and their monthly salaries tally at least CNY5,000 (USD699) plus free accommodation and daily meals, and the sum is more than double that of Nujiang. Nearly four-fifths of such dispatched workers choose to stay for longer, Wu added.

From last January to November, Yiwu’s imports and exports totaled a record high of CNY522.1 billion (USD72.9 billion), up 18 percent from a year ago, per customs data. Exports tallied CNY461.6 billion, rising by 16 percent, driven by a high demand for plastic items, cases, bags, home appliances, auto parts, sportswear, as well as mechanical and electrical products.

Editor: Emmi Laine