Santa's workshop in Yiwu goes electric

Remote controlled aircraft, electric toy cars and robots are welcomed by buyers of overseas Christmas gifts at the Yiwu Small Commodities Market in Zhejiang this year.[YAN YIQI/CHINA DAILY]

The company mainly makes and sells flying remote control toys to clients in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Russia.

"These toys are loved by not only children but also adults. Some of my foreign clients cannot get their hands off the remote controller," he said.

"The technology is mature so that quality can be guaranteed. And compared with those manufactured by Western companies, we have advantage in prices."

On the online shopping website of Amazon, a flying shark sells at $30, after a $9 discount. In the Yiwu store, however, customers can get the same shark at 80 yuan ($12).

But Liu noted that since the Christmas purchase season for foreign clients has passed, the aim is to stoke demand in China.

"I think these toys will also be Chinese parents' favorite choice for the Chinese New Year," he said.

Zhao Wei, a professor of international economic studies at Zhejiang University, said that the market enthusiasm toward electronic toys might be a transforming opportunity for Chinese manufacturers and exporters.

"For a very long period of time, the notion 'made in China' represented cheap and low-value products," he said. "With technology improving electronic toys, the global market might have a new view on Chinese products."

Zhao said that companies can use the demand to focus on other high-tech, value-added products.

"The depreciation of currency cannot have long-term effects on export volume. Providing high value-added and quality products is the only way out," he said.

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