Yangtze River Delta in east China reports record-high foreign trade in 2024

Imports and exports of goods to and from China's Yangtze River Delta region hit an all-time high of 16.01 trillion yuan (about 2.23 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2024, according to the Shanghai Customs authorities.

This figure translates into a 5.6 percent year-on-year increase in foreign trade value in the region, accounting for 36.5 percent of China's total foreign trade value in the year, according to the customs authorities.

The export value of high-end equipment in the region reached 261.16 billion yuan (about 36.35 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024, contributing 56.7 percent of the country's total, while exports of mechanical and electrical products reached 5.96 trillion yuan (about 830 billion U.S. dollars), accounting for 39.4 percent of the country's total.

Smart products and components, such as phones, tablet computers, integrated circuits, and lithium batteries, have grown into a major force to drive the exports of mechanical and electrical products from the Yangtze River Delta region.

"Mechanical and electrical products are the largest category of exports from the Yangtze River Delta region, and are also the foundation to stabilize the development of foreign trade. As an important component of high-tech products and a major commodity in international trade, the steady growth of the export of mechanical and electrical products reflects the upgrading of the industrial structure and the improvement of the technical level in the region, which is conducive to enhancing the stability and resilience of the regional economy," said Qu Huili, head of the statistics division at Shanghai Customs.

The value of the Yangtze River Delta region's trade with Belt and Road partner countries reached 7.7 trillion yuan (about 1.07 trillion U.S. dollars), while the value of its trade with other members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) totaled 4.9 trillion yuan (about 682 billion U.S. dollars). Trade with other BRICS countries amounted to 2.13 trillion yuan (about 296.45 billion U.S. dollars), the customs data showed.

Yangtze River Delta in east China reports record-high foreign trade in 2024

Many people in Pakistan are hoping for the resumption of the U.S.-Iran peace talks as the mediator country has kept making preparations.

A main mediator between Washington and Tehran, Pakistan has placed Islamabad under extraordinary security in anticipation of the much-awaited second round of peace talks.

Thousands of police personnel, elite commandos and rooftop snipers were deployed across Islamabad and neighboring Rawalpindi, while major hotels were requisitioned for the expected delegations.

Despite the extensive preparations, the talks did not proceed, as Iran said the United States had failed to honor its prior commitments, citing maritime blockades, seizure of Iranian vessels and continued U.S. threats as key reasons for refusing to negotiate.

Iran had earlier announced a conditional and temporary reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, but the move did not lead to the lifting of U.S. restrictions on Iranian ports.

Tehran subsequently declared that it would resume control over passage through the strategic maritime channel.

Many Pakistanis hope the peace talks could continue and ease the price hike that had already pressured people's daily life.

"Whenever oil prices go up, everything else automatically follows suit, such as sugar, cooking oil, flavorings. Ordinary people like us are almost crushed by such cost of living. All I hope for now is that the US-Iran negotiations can proceed smoothly," said a shop owner in Islamabad.

Pakistani people hope for resumption of US-Iran peace talks