Yabao Road and its surroundings are packed with traders' stalls. It is the largest private wholesale clothing market in China aimed at customers from Russian-speaking countries. [Photo by Li Fei/China Daily]

The way Yin Guanghui tells it, the relationship began in a hotel room.

"A smart businessman who sold jackets noticed the arrival of Russian guests and rented a room in the hotel to display his goods," Yin says.

"Before long, half the rooms had turned into shops, and soon after that Yabao Road and its surroundings are packed with traders' stalls."

Yin is referring to the role the five-star Ritan Hotel in Beijing, of which he is the lobby manager, played in establishing Yabao Road, about 4 kilometers from Tian'anmen Square, into the largest private wholesale clothing market in China aimed at customers from Russian-speaking countries.

At that time, about 30 years ago, the hotel was a popular choice for Russians in Beijing because of its proximity to transport. It is near Chang'an Avenue, Beijing's east-west axis, 10 minutes by car from Beijing Railway Station and 40 minutes by car from the city's international airport.

The street would eventually turn into a sprawling apparel trade center with supporting services such as logistics companies, hotels and Russian restaurants, and its fortunes would coincide with those of China's opening up to the world more than three decades ago.