Full coverage: G20 Hangzhou Summit

Tonight I am wearing a traditional Chinese dress called a "Qi Pao". It's also called a Cheongsam or Chang Shan, which literally means "Long shirt" in English. It has evolved quite a bit since its days of looking like just a really long tubular shirt – something that was first worn by men of the Manchu ethnic group of the Qing Dynasty.

Like most Qi Pao's today, this one is made from silk, which is the perfect fabric of choice for people who live in the South of China – like Hangzhou and Shanghai - where the weather is humid and hot.

Known as the City of Silk, Hangzhou boasts a rich tradition of silk making. And if you plan to visit the city yourself, make sure you don't go home without some!

Silk was first invented in ancient China, and the country is till the largest producer of silk today. And now modern silk manufacturing and embroidery are shedding new light on the ancient craft.

From art to commerce, the city of Hangzhou has played a pivotal role in China's history--through modern day.

And silk was the main reason that Italian merchant Marco Polo travelled thousands of kilometers to China.

Centuries later, silk still has a role in Hangzhou as a key driver of the local economy.

Demand for handmade embroidery is on the rise due to increased popularity of silk around the world. China was the first country to use silk, and it has stayed at the cutting edge of its manufacturing and related craft. 

With the help modern technology, Chinese craftsmen and engineers are using both traditional skills and modern technology to enhance the production of silk.

One thread at a time, these silk products serve to bridge not only China's past with the present but also the East and the West.