Spring breeze warms up outdoor sports spending in China

Chinese people are embracing outdoor activities as spring offers seemingly endless opportunities to keep fit and revel in the beauty of nature, which has driven up the sales of exercise-related clothing, gear and equipment.

Recently, in Liyang City, east China's Jiangsu Province, a scenic spot surrounded by hills held a mountaineering event, whose specially-designed 1,200-meter gentle trail allows sport lovers of all ages to enjoy a leisurely pace.

Participants said they took it a good chance to get pleasure from the spring season.

"It is spring now and the weather is good. We can take part in outdoor activities, to breathe fresh air and see the beautiful scenery. They help broaden our minds and improve our health," said Wang Guolong, a mountaineering enthusiast.

Chinese consumers' growing interest in mountaineering, hiking, camping, and other sports during the springtime has driven up the business of outdoor clothing, gear and equipment stores.

For example, to meet the increasing demand of camping, many businesses have sold sets of gear and equipment - which includes instant tents, folding dining tables and dinnerware. The sets have become a popular option amongst consumers.

A camping store in Dongying City, east China's Shandong Province, has been bustling with consumers.

"Today, I came here to check out the tents and found that their prices are not very expensive. They are sold together with camping and barbecue equipment," said a consumer.

"Our store's daily turnover is now around 5,000 yuan (about 688.95 U.S. dollars), a 1.5-fold increase compared to last year. Most of our consumers are young people. The sales are expected to further increase during the upcoming Qingming Festival and Labor Day holidays," said a saleswoman. "Since the beginning of spring, the sales of outdoor products have increased by about 23.9 percent over the same period last year. Among them, the sales of sportswear, outdoor leisure items and sun protection products have increased by about 16 percent, 28 percent and 15 percent year on year, respectively," said Zhang Na, deputy general manager of a trading company.

Spring breeze warms up outdoor sports spending in China

China issued its first-ever overseas RMB-denominated sovereign green bond in London on Wednesday, China's Ministry of Finance said on Thursday.

The deal totals 6 billion yuan (about 833.33 million U.S. dollars), including 3 billion yuan for a three-year term with an interest rate of 1.88 percent, and 3 billion yuan for a five-year term at an interest rate of 1.93 percent. Both rates are lower than the yields on comparable treasury bonds in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region secondary market.

Notably, the London offering spurred strong demand from international investors -- drawing a diverse range of participants across various regions. Total subscriptions hit 41.58 billion yuan, 6.9 times the issuance value.

"This is a green development. So that means, you know, the international investors have a huge confidence about the sustainable development of China, both in the green development and also digital transformation," said Liao Min, China's vice minister of finance, who attended the bond's launch ceremony held at the London Stock Exchange.

China is the world's biggest producer of green technology. So it makes sense to invest in that space.

The bonds could also offer some stability for markets on edge after U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff announcement.

"We need signals that the financial markets are functioning well. And we need also signals and clear signs that, you know, sustainable finance continues to be well supported by the international financial community," said Bryan Pascoe, chief executive of the International Capital Market Association.

China issues first overseas RMB-denominated sovereign green bond in London