STORY: Asia's leading flower trading market mirrors China's economic vitality
DATELINE: Aug. 12, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:21
LOCATION: KUNMING, China
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Kunming Dounan Flower Market
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): QIAN CHONGJUN, CEO of Yunnan Dounan Flower Industry Group
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): Tourist
4. various of the Kunming Dounan Flower Market
5. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): XIANG QUN, Store chief of ZTO Express

STORYLINE:
 
Flower trade is booming at the Kunming Dounan Flower Market in southwest China's Yunnan Province, especially after dark.
 
As Asia's largest fresh-cut flower trading market and a reliable barometer of China's flower market prowess, the market has exported flowers to more than 40 countries and regions.
 
SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): QIAN CHONGJUN, CEO of Yunnan Dounan Flower Industry Group
"Flowers are traded for about 21 hours a day, starting at 4:00 a.m. About over 30 million stems of flowers are transacted here on an average day. The market has more than 7,600 sales booths and is visited by about 8,000 people each day."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): Tourist
"The market is crowded and the price of flowers is cheaper." 
In addition, live streams on e-commerce platforms and upgraded logistics services are also boosting the sales of fresh-cut flowers.
 
SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): XIANG QUN, Store chief of ZTO Express
"We handle about 1,200 to 1,300 parcels a day. Our busy hours run from 3 or 4 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. We offer cold-chain logistics services so that the flowers can stay in dormancy in a temperature between 8 to 10 degrees Celcius."
 
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Kunming, China.
(XHTV)