One city in China produces 80 per cent of the world’s Christmas decorations.

Yiwu International Trade City exports more than 20,000 types of Christmas products to more than 100 countries, with Europe and the Americas the most important markets for most producers. That’s a lot of plastic Christmas trees, wreaths, baubles, life-size elves, tinsel and flickering lights.

When Irish Times Beijing correspondent Denis Staunton visited, he found manufacturers with a clear idea of just what westerners want and the emerging trends – there’s a new trend towards pastel coloured decorations, including trees.

He tells In the News that although Communist Party members are forbidden from practising religion, Christian churches are allowed to operate under the supervision of the authorities. But some state schools have recently been discouraging children from marking western holidays such as Halloween and Christmas, urging them to celebrate Chinese traditions instead.

Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Declan Conlon.

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