HANGZHOU - The 18th China Yiwu International Commodities Fair opened Sunday in East China's Zhejiang province, attracting about 20,000 overseas buyers, organizers said Sunday.

The 5-day fair is being held in Yiwu, a city known for its small commodities trade and vibrant free markets. The fair is expected to attract more than 170,000 buyers, including 20,000 overseas buyers, organizers said.

The fair has 6,000 exhibition booths. Other activities such as the Machinery Industry Exhibition will also be held during the fair, organizers said.

The fair has been held annually since 1995, and Yiwu has developed a mature services system for the influx of people during the fair.

Frequent flights to Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou as well as booming accommodation and catering businesses guarantee a pleasant stay in Yiwu, organizers added.

Last year's fair saw turnover of 15.8 billion yuan ($2.5 billion), 60 percent of which involved foreign trade.