A foreign businessman (right) picks ball products at the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, Zhejiang province, April 15, 2024. [Photo/VCG]

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.

Thanks to the continuous international sports events such as the European Championship and the Paris Olympic Games, business opportunities for sports products in Yiwu have soared. The number of relevant shops in the Yiwu International Trade Market has increased to over 800. And the number of foreign buyers and orders increased significantly.

Among all categories, orders in sports products, such as basketball, football, volleyball and others surged.

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.