On the morning of October 29, the Anhui Provincial Government Information Office held a press conference to introduce the province’s progress on high‑quality foreign trade development during the 14th Five‑Year Plan period.

According to the press briefing, Anhui’s total import and export value reached RMB 726.25 billion in the first three quarters of this year, a year‑on‑year increase of 15.7%. The province’s total foreign trade ranking jumped from 13th to 9th nationwide, firmly holding first place among central China provinces.

Anhui’s total foreign trade volume has grown from RMB 545.15 billion at the end of the 13th Five‑Year Plan to RMB 864.37 billion in 2024, crossing three successive one‑hundred‑billion‑yuan milestones. Since the start of the 14th Five‑Year Plan, the province’s average annual import‑and‑export growth rate has reached 12.2%, leading the Yangtze River Delta region. At present, the number of enterprises with actual import‑export performance in the province has reached 13,000, nearly 4,000 more than at the end of the 13th Five‑Year Plan.

In recent years, Anhui has successively introduced measures to support initiatives such as accelerating local vehicle exports, serving the province’s integrated circuit industry development, and supporting the construction of new energy vehicle industry clusters, promoting continuous transformation and optimization of its foreign‑trade structure. Since the start of the 14th Five‑Year Plan, the share of mechanical and electrical products in the province’s total exports has risen from 59% at the end of the 13th Five‑Year Plan to more than 70%; notably, automotive exports have risen to first place in the country. Over the same period, labor‑intensive product exports have fallen to less than 10% of total provincial exports, reflecting an ongoing upward shift of Anhui’s industrial chain toward mid‑to‑high end, with continuous improvements in the quality, grade, and added value of exported goods.

Anhui has been actively expanding its international "circle of friends" and broadened its trade markets. In the first three quarters of this year, Anhui’s trade with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative reached RMB 391.94 billion, accounting for 54% of the province’s total trade—an 8‑percentage‑point increase over the end of the 13th Five‑Year Plan. Exports and imports with emerging markets such as ASEAN, Latin America, and Africa have all maintained double‑digit growth. Currently, Anhui’s exported products are sold in more than 200 countries and regions worldwide, with trade partners across the globe. Going forward, the province will embrace the world with a more open posture to share development opportunities.

Source: anhuinews.com