Sellers introduce local products during a livestreaming session at a shopping festival in Zhangjiagang. [Photo/zjg.gov.cn]

Zhangjiagang in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, launched a special shopping event in a bid to boost its economy and mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, local news reported Dec 12.

The event is part of the Shopping Suzhou festival, and will be held both online and offline from Dec 12 to Feb 26 next year.

A night market was held during the opening ceremony, with many kinds cultural, creative and intangible products on display. Livestreaming sessions were also launched to promote online sales.

The local government also announced several hot destinations for the night-time economy, including themed areas, internet-famous sites, characteristic night markets and recommended night routes.

Local authorities said that the shopping festival, attended by many well-known sellers, will consist of more than 20 sub-activities to boost sales during the upcoming holidays such as New Year's Day and the Spring Festival. The event will offer a great opportunity for the city to spur spending and resuscitate the economy, including handing out shopping coupons and offering special discounts.