Rising global temperatures are driving a surge in demand for Chinese cooling products, from fan-equipped hats to pet cooling pads, as exports soar to meet international needs.
At Yiwu International Trade City in east China's Zhejiang Province, innovative gadgets are captivating foreign buyers. Solar-powered fan hats, for instance, are drawing significant attention.
"[It] is very very good, Chinese [product], very beautiful," said an Afghan buyer.
Ordinary products combined with creative twists can fetch higher prices. At an umbrella shop, sun-protection umbrellas with built-in fans were snapped up by buyers as soon as they hit the shelves.
To cater to international preferences, the shop owner also designed multiple sizes of sun-protection umbrellas.
Meanwhile, businesses are also keenly spotting new opportunities in the global pet market. In one store, newly stocked cooling mats and ice collars for pets are in high demand.
"I think it's quite good quality with good price. We can look for more," said a Thai buyer.
"Customers from South America - Mexico, Chile, Brazil and Argentina - are coming here in advance to place orders for these products," said Lou Jinjin, owner of a pet products store.
Data from Alibaba's international e-commerce platform shows that over the past 30 days, portable mini fans, mobile air conditioners, ice makers, double-door refrigerators, and freezers have become hot sellers, with sales surging nearly 77 percent year on year.
Exports of Chinese cooling products heat up as global temperatures rise
More than a month ahead of the Chinese New Year, restaurants across China have reported a booming demand for reunion dinners, with popular places already fully reserved.
The family reunion dinners on the eve of the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, is the most important meal of the year for Chinese people. It has long been an essential part of celebrating the Chinese New Year. This year, the festival falls on Feb 17.
In Taiyuan, capital city of north China's Shanxi Province, one restaurant said all tables for the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner have been reserved.
"We now have 36 private rooms and 13 tables in the hall. The New Year's Eve dinner is fully booked. Many families started reserving as early as November 2025," said Han Huiyan, a restaurant manager.
To meet the demand, many restaurants start to offer takeaway banquet package that can be easily prepared at home, allowing families to enjoy a variety of festive dishes without dining out.
In Ningbo, a city in east China's Zhejiang Province, many popular restaurants said that they are approaching full reservation levels. To reduce peak demand, some restaurants now offer off-peak reunion dinners starting later at night.
"We now offer a 'second round' of New Year's Eve dinners, which start at 19:30. We also offer discount for such New Year's Eve dinners, a promotion of 20 percent off set menus," said Sun Lijuan, a restaurant manager.
In Lianyungang, a city in east China's Jiangsu Province, smaller private rooms of a local restaurant have been nearly sold out, and customized menus and home-delivery services have drawn strong interest.
"This year we have specially launched the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner delivery service. Bookings are very strong and customers really like this option," said Geng Maoran, a restaurant general manager.
Restaurants see surge in bookings for Chinese New Year's Eve dinners
