Xinjiang's bazaars regain vitality as epidemic wanes

Holding their cellphones, spectators on Saturday danced in a circle to music with strong local features at the International Grand Bazaar in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The sight in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, was pulsating with joy despite the mask on every dancer's face, one of the few reminders that the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic has not ended nationwide.

The usual hustle and bustle is returning to the bazaar, where vendors were seen touting everything from garments, musical instruments, potteries, jewelry to fruits and local delicacies.

As a key sightseeing and shopping destination in Xinjiang, the bazaar is frequented by tourists as well as locals. It reopened most of its sections on March 10 after being suspended due to the outbreak.

Its reopening is part of Xinjiang's efforts to revive social and economic activities as the epidemic is receding. The region's emergency response was downgraded to the lowest level on Sunday, after no new cases of the COVID-19 have been reported for over a month.

Business volumes have rebounded to about 60 percent to 70 percent of the usual level, with some 23,000 visits recorded each day last week, according to a tourism firm that is one of the bazaar's operators.