Wuhan in Central China's Hubei Province is set to launch consumer coupons to boost consumption and aid coronavirus-hit industries following the lift of its lockdown on April 8, local media reported on Sunday.
Wuhan is the hardest-hit region in China. The coupons are aimed at supporting work resumption in the commerce, catering, cultural, sports and tourism industries in the city.
The move follows those from numerous cities in China. By April 3, more than 30 cities in China had rolled out similar policies to boost domestic consumption amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Fan Ruguo, a professor at the School of Economics and Management of Wuhan University, suggested Wuhan should learn from other cities by issuing digital coupons on large-scale e-commerce platforms.
The coupons are expected to be a "catalyst" to activate consumption, which has been lagging due since the initial outbreak of the coronavirus, said Chen Lifen, research fellow with the Ministry of Commerce.
"[The coupons] help to warm up consumption and drive the recovery of the entire economic chain," Chen said.
In addition to the government-issued coupons, businesses can actively follow up and issue promotional coupons to awaken the offline market, said Wu Yongbao, deputy dean and research fellow at the Wuhan Institute of Socialism.
In addition to the coupons, digital platforms will help to activate consumption.
News anchor Ouyang Xiadan from China Central TV teamed up with actor Wong Cho Lam via livestreaming on Sunday to sell 12 characteristic products from the city including soda water, hot dry noodles and duck necks.
A total of 61 million yuan ($8.65 million) worth of products were sold out through the livestreamed promotion.
