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Will you give your unwanted items a 'second life'?BEIJING, Aug. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report by China.org.cn on China's second-hand goods trade: Looking around, do you have any items sitting idle and unused for a long time? Smaller items such as makeup, an iPad, a pair of trainers or larger items such as a desk, a wardrobe or even a car? These may seem like unnecessary items to be put aside by you, but they could be just what someone else needs -- and that person may be your next-door neighbor, or somewhere far away. The second-hand trade, a kind of transaction which is both traditional and modern, is now very popular among young Chinese people. However, the scene has shifted from an offline flea market to an online app platform. Statistics show that, by the end of 2017, the volume of China's second-hand goods trade had reached 500 billion yuan (about $71 billion), and is growing at an annual rate of more than 30%, most of which is from online transactions. The second-hand economy has enjoyed a mature development in the West. But in China, many people still prefer to own new items, and this habit makes them resistant to buying second-hand. However, people's views change with changing times and the development of the Chinese economy. As living standards improve, consumption increases, and so too does the number of idle items. Items such as cars and mobile phones have gradually changed from luxury products to daily necessities. Nowadays, cars are just a common means of transport, so a second-hand car with a moderate price and quality is a very cost-effective and smart choice, and it won't make people feel embarrassed. From a social perspective in China, the idea of environmental protection and public wefare has found its way deep into people's hearts. Many sell second-hand goods not only to make money, but also to avoid waste. This allows unwanted items to go to the needy, giving them a "second life." While buying and selling second-hand goods, people can experience the joy of haggling, sharing and engaging with buyers. Some even find it fun and rewarding to participate as a social event. Chen Weiye, the founder of Xianyu (Idle Fish), a well-known online trading platform for second-hand goods in China, said that the huge value created by Xianyu comes from the reuse of social resources as well as environmental protection and social progress. China's internet has great advantages in both infrastructure and users. Particularly there is a boom in the fields of mobile internet and e-commerce, which has promoted the development of China's shared economy. As a kind of shared economy, the second-hand economy will no doubt develop by drawing on earlier experiences and lessons, analyzing and solving the problems through technological and ideological innovation. In this way, more and more people will be confident to participate in the practice, which will allow them new ways to consume goods. China Mosaic Will you give your unwanted items a 'second life'? About China.org.cn Founded in 2000, China Internet Information Center (China.org.cn/China.com.cn) is a key state news website under the auspices of the State Council Information Office, and is managed by China International Publishing Group. We provide round-the-clock news service in ten languages. With users from more than 200 countries and regions, we have become China's leading multi-lingual news outlet introducing the country to the outside world. We are one of the country's authoritative outlets for government press releases and are authorized to cover various major events. "Live Webcast" is our online webcasting service to present State Council Information Office press conferences in both Chinese and English languages. We are reputed for timely and accurate delivery of news and information, and wide interactions with audiences. In addition, we are authorized to publish and live broadcast major events and press conferences of ministries, local government agencies and institutions as well as enterprises. In the era of mobile internet, we endeavor to create an array of products for mobile devices headed by the multilingual WAP platform and the mobile APP. We also use Chinese and international social media to publish information for different user groups. In the future, CIIC will continue to offer authoritative information about China, tell China's stories, voice China's opinions, and introduce a vivid, panoramic and multicultural China to the world through multi-language, multi-media and multi-platforms.
SOURCE China.org.cn 
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