East China's coastal province of Zhejiang is bracing for Typhoon Francisco, the seventh typhoon of the year, which is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rains.
In Zhoushan City, authorities have strengthened supervision in key port areas, increased maritime patrol inspections, and employed advanced technology to guide ships away from the storm.
On Thursday morning, staff at the Aoshan port area conducted thorough inspections, issued early warnings and provided guidance to anchored ships via patrol boats to ensure their safety.
Yueqing City has activated a typhoon emergency response mechanism to closely monitor the approaching typhoon and protect local ships.
At the intelligent control center of Yueqing Bay maritime affairs office, workers are utilizing an advanced platform for ship inspections and waterway monitoring.
"We are carrying out round-the-clock monitoring of the location, speed and anchoring status of ships in sheltered waters to gather real-time information on typhoon's trajectory and changes in sea weather," said Pan Enqin, an official at the Yueqing Bay maritime affairs office.
In preparation for Francisco, sluices in Taizhou City began drainage efforts on Thursday morning to lower the water level in the Wenhuang Plain river channel and alleviate flood pressure.
A total of six gates of Jinqing New Sluice, one of the largest flood-drainage sluices in Taizhou, were opened.
"The draining operation of the Jinqing New Sluice lasted about eight hours, successfully lowering the water level in Wenhuang Plain river channel by about five centimeters," said Yang Haoran, operation director of the sluice.
Several other sluices in the city also conducted drainage operations on Thursday morning, ensuring that the water level remained manageable.
Typhoon Francisco formed in the waters east of the Philippines on Wednesday morning and is expected to reach southern Zhejiang Province and the north of neighboring Fujian Province, bringing continued rainfall in the coming days, according to China's National Meteorological Center.
Coastal province of Zhejiang braces for Typhoon Francisco
As foreign trade is an important part of China's open economy and a driving force for national economic development, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said China will step up efforts to promote innovative development of its cross-border commerce.
In a recent interview with China Media Group, Wang said that China's foreign trade in goods grew by 3.8 percent year on year to reach 45.47 trillion yuan (about 6.53 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2025, hitting a new record and marking the first time that the volume has exceeded the 45-trillion-yuan threshold. The country is also expected to maintain its position as the world's largest trading nation in goods in 2025.
He stated that the global economy currently faces insufficient growth momentum, persistent geopolitical tensions, and a marked slowdown in trade expansion. The World Trade Organization has also revised its projected growth rate for global trade in 2026 downward to 0.5 percent, reflecting heightened uncertainty in the international trade environment.
In the face of significant challenges and mounting risks, China this year will advance the coordinated development of goods trade, service trade, and digital trade in a comprehensive and systematic manner, with the aim of ensuring stability and resilience in foreign trade performance, Wang stressed.
"We will consolidate and expand diversified markets. We will do a good job in hosting important exhibitions such as the Canton Fair, attract more overseas buyers to attend and purchase, and increase support for enterprises to participate in exhibitions abroad. We will guide the healthy and standardized development of new forms and models of foreign trade such as cross-border e-commerce. China has reached 23 free trade agreements (FTA) with 30 countries and regions. We will support and guide enterprises to make good use of these agreements to expand trade exchanges," he said.
China will promote balanced trade development in 2026, said Wang, adding that it will actively expand imports through measures such as coordinated exhibition events and targeted procurement.
"We will continue to expand the influence of the 'Export to China' brand, hold a series of matchmaking events, make full use of various trade promotion platforms including the China International Import Expo, leverage the role of national demonstration zones for import trade promotion and innovation, enhance the facilitation of import trade, optimize the sources and structure of imported goods, and better meet the needs of industrial development and people's pursuit of a better life," he continued.
China to promote innovative development of foreign trade
