On September 19, the reporter learned from Chengdu Customs that Sichuan's total goods trade imports and exports reached RMB 670.05 billion in the first eight months of the year, a new historical high for the period. This figure ranks eighth nationwide, with a growth rate of 12.6% -- 6.6 percentage points above the national average and also eighth highest in the country. Of this total, exports amounted to RMB 390.11 billion, marking a 3.7% increase, while imports reached RMB 279.94 billion, rising by 27.9%.
In August alone, Sichuan's import and export total reached RMB 87.51 billion, ranking eighth nationally for the month and achieving a growth rate of 16.2%, the seventh highest in the country. In this context, exports totaled RMB 47.65 billion, increasing by 6.7%, while imports reached RMB 39.86 billion, rising by 30%.
The first eight months highlighted six main features of Sichuan's foreign trade in imports and exports:
Processing trade and bonded logistics saw rapid growth. In the first eight months, Sichuan's processing trade imports and exports reached RMB 303.83 billion, a 22.6% increase, comprising 45.3% of the total trade value. General trade contributed RMB 247.83 billion, up 5.6% and accounting for 37%, while bonded logistics trade totaled RMB 102.18 billion, increasing by 17.1% and representing 15.2%.
Sichuan achieved double-digit growth with its major trading partners. Over the first eight months, trade with the top three partners-- ASEAN, the USA, and the EU -- totaled RMB 144 billion, 127.5 billion, and 106.2 billion, growing by 33.7%, 32.4%, and 23.2% respectively, collectively comprising 57% of the total. During the same period, Sichuan enhanced its economic and trade cooperation with Africa, conducting foreign trade with 59 countries and regions across the continent, achieving a total import and export volume of RMB 26.54 billion, a 29.6% increase. Furthermore, trade with countries participating in the "Belt and Road" initiative totaled RMB 293.43 billion, marking an increase of 16.9%.
Foreign and private enterprises continued to show growth. In the first eight months, Sichuan saw a 12% increase in foreign trade entities with actual import and export achievements. Foreign-invested enterprises contributed RMB 342.08 billion to this figure, up 21.8% and accounting for 51.1% of the total, while private enterprises recorded RMB 283.74 billion, growing by 7% and representing 42.3%.
Chengdu's share of foreign trade has risen. Over the first eight months, Chengdu's imports and exports amounted to RMB 542.84 billion, growing by 13.2%, which is 0.6 percentage points above the provincial average. This accounted for 81% of the province's total imports and exports, contributing 84.4% to the overall growth in Sichuan's foreign trade during the period, reinforcing its central role. Simultaneously, Mianyang, Luzhou, and Nanchong each maintained growth in their import and export activities, all exceeding RMB 10 billion, demonstrating a positive development trajectory.
M&E products accounted for over 70% of exports, leading the nation in various categories. In the first eight months, Sichuan exported M&E products worth RMB 289.03 billion, up 7.6% and constituting 74.1% of the total export value, marking an increase of 2.6 percentage points from the previous year. Several products led national exports, with tablet computers and exports of lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide, as well as fish oil, each surpassing 30% of the national total. Titanium dioxide, terrestrial oil drilling rigs, lemons, and caviar ranked second nationally.
M&E products were the primary imports, alongside rapidly increasing imports of bulk commodities and consumer goods. Sichuan's policies to boost imports proved effective, achieving the fastest growth rate among the top ten foreign trade provinces. In the first eight months, electromechanical imports amounted to RMB 220.16 billion, increasing by 44.3% and comprising 78.6% of Sichuan's total imports during that period. Specifically, imports of integrated circuits totaled RMB 143.2 billion, an increase of 33.9%; while imports of computers and their components amounted to RMB 18.32 billion, more than doubling with a 140% increase. Simultaneously, imports of bulk commodities reached RMB 14.16 billion, marking a 26.7% increase. Furthermore, imports of consumer goods totaled RMB 11.87 billion, a 57.3% increase. This included imports of fresh durian worth RMB 1.9 billion, more than doubling with a 240% increase; shrimp imports of RMB 1.02 billion, nearly quintupling with a 490% increase; and salmon imports valued at RMB 680 million, nearly quadrupling with a 380% increase. (Newssc.org - Shoupin News Reporter Zhou Qiong)
Disclaimer：The above content is translated from Chinese version of NEWSSC. The NEWSSC version shall prevail.