Beijing's Xinfadi wholesale market reopens after 2-month shutdown

Beijing's Xinfadi wholesale market officially reopened when the first truck loaded with watermelons entered the entrance gate at 7:38 am on Saturday.

Pan Xiaohai, president of fruit trading company Beijing Pengcheng Wanda Group and also owner of the first truck, said he was so excited the market reopened after two months.

"Our truck was loaded at 5 pm yesterday in Inner Mongolia and headed to Beijing directly," he said. "We arrived in Beijing at 5 am and entered the market at 7:38 am."

"Today is such a good day! We believe the market will become a better one after upgrading," he added.

Zhou Xinchun, deputy head of Fengtai district, where the market is located, said the authority has upgraded its operations to make all buyers, vehicles and goods traceable.

"The wholesale market will not serve individual residents, and will only serve wholesale buyers," Zhou said. "Buyers and sellers need to register before they trade in the market. All buyers and sellers have to make reservations, provide information, including vehicle license plates, trading area, the time and gates where their vehicles enter before each trade."

It takes 10 to 20 minutes to complete the registration, a vendor said.