Ningbo Customs released the city's Q1 foreign trade performance report in April 17th. Official data shows Ningbo's total import-export volume reached 348.85 billion yuan in Q1, marking an 8.4% increase from the same period last year. Exports accounted for 237.8 billion yuan, up 17% year-on-year.
Despite growing external challenges, private enterprises remain the backbone of import-export activities through proactive adaptation.
In Q1, Ningbo's private enterprises recorded 269.09 billion yuan in import-export volume (up 13.1% YoY), constituting 77.1% of the city's total.
Market diversification remains Ningbo's consistent strategy to maintain foreign trade resilience amid global economic volatility.
The European Union (EU) is Ningbo's largest trading partner. In the first quarter, Ningbo's import and export volume with the EU reached 60.63 billion yuan, marking a year-on-year increase of 14.6%. Meanwhile, trade volume with ASEAN amounted to 48.1 billion yuan, reflecting a 21.1% year-on-year growth.
During the same period, trade volume with Africa totaled 19.89 billion yuan, showing a 28.5% year-on-year increase. Trade with Belt and Road partner countries reached 174.24 billion yuan, up 14.7% year-on-year, while exchanges with CEEC (Central and Eastern European Countries) stood at 15.29 billion yuan, representing a 19.8% year-on-year growth.
Alongside the rapid expansion of foreign trade scale, development quality has been consistently enhanced, with sustained growth in exports of traditional competitive products.
In Q1, Ningbo's exports of M&E (Mechanical & Electrical) products reached 139.11 billion yuan, achieving 19.4% year-on-year growth and accounting for 58.5% of the city's total exports during the period.
Among these, the export values of home appliances, electrical equipment, general machinery, and auto parts reached 17.63 billion yuan, 14.14 billion yuan, 10.18 billion yuan, and 8.16 billion yuan respectively, representing year-on-year increases of 19.6%, 6.1%, 19.7%, and 14.5%. Container exports amounted to 3 billion yuan, marking a substantial 132.7% year-on-year growth.
Imports of certain resource-based and raw material products showed growth.
In Q1, Ningbo's imports of basic organic chemicals, copper products, primary plastic forms, and aluminum materials grew by 32.7%, 11%, 6.3%, and 11.2% year-on-year respectively. During the same period, high-tech product imports totaled 8.9 billion yuan, reflecting a 10.3% year-on-year increase.
April 18th, 2025 – Front Page, Ningbo Daily (By Wang Lingke & Dong Bifeng)
Disclaimer：The above content is translated from Chinese version of Ningbo Daily. The Ningbo Daily version shall prevail.