Central China's foreign trade hits record high in first three quarters

Customs data shows that central China posted 3.43 trillion yuan (about 514 billion U.S. dollars) in foreign trade in the first three quarters of this year, a year-on-year increase of 20.5 percent and a record high for the period.

The region, covering Henan, Hunan and Hubei provinces, also registered more balanced and stable foreign trade, customs data showed.

"In the first three quarters, central China achieved positive trade growth with more than 150 countries and regions across the globe, consolidating and expanding market diversification. Its trade with other APEC economies exceeded two trillion yuan for the first time for the January–September period," said Wu Hao, deputy director of the statistics department of Wuhan Customs.

China's eastern and southern regions have traditionally dominated foreign trade due to their access to the sea. Today, international rail networks reaching into Southeast Asia and as far as Europe have enabled central China to become a growing hub for cross-border commerce.

"Cross-border transport networks including the China-Europe Railway Express routes, the Yangtze River 'golden waterway' and international air cargo services keep improving, and the advantages of multimodal transport are being fully unlocked," said Wu.

On a monthly basis, the growth rate of central China's monthly imports and exports has continued to pick up since the third quarter.

In September alone, foreign trade surpassed 449 billion yuan, marking an all-time monthly high and rising 22.5 percent year on year.

On the export side, the equipment manufacturing sector served as the main driver of export growth in the first three quarters, with high-tech products delivering strong performance.

Combined exports of electric vehicles, integrated circuits, computers and their parts hit 494 billion yuan, accounting for 14.4 percent of central China's total foreign trade volume. One out of every three electric vehicles exported nationwide comes from central China.

As for imports, central China has maintained double-digit import growth for 11 consecutive months.

Imports of metal ores, integrated circuits and storage components surged, providing strong support for steady manufacturing operations and the expansion and upgrading of key industries.

Central China's foreign trade hits record high in first three quarters

Exhibition booth construction for the 9th China International Import Expo (CIIE) began on Tuesday in Shanghai, ahead of the event scheduled to run from November 5 to 10.

The construction work is proceeding in an orderly manner at the National Exhibition and Convention Center, the main venue for the event, and some booths have already taken shape.

The Shanghai police have launched support operations to ensure a smooth and orderly preparation process. To prevent congestion caused by the concentrated arrival of heavy trucks, the police have optimized the freight vehicle entry process this year.

"We use remote security checks and waiting areas before freight vehicles enter the north square. This can avoid vehicle pile-ups in the north square and prevent traffic congestion on the roads surrounding the National Exhibition and Convention Center," said Li Lei, a police officer.

To further facilitate the expo, the police have reduced the closed management time and extended the setup period, allowing exhibitors to enter the venue earlier to build their booths.

The police have also increased patrol frequency to ensure safety and order throughout the preparation phase.

Construction of exhibition booths begins for 9th CIIE in Shanghai