In the first quarter, Anhui Province's total foreign trade import and export value reached 284.24 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 31.6%, marking the highest growth rate for the province in the same period since 2022, according to Hefei Customs. Exports stood at 194.8 billion yuan, up 31.8%, while imports were 89.44 billion yuan, rising 31%.

Private enterprises continued to play a leading role. In the first quarter, imports and exports by private enterprises in Anhui reached 148.02 billion yuan, up 27.9%, accounting for 52.1% of the province's total foreign trade and driving provincial trade growth by 14.9 percentage points.

The export structure continued to improve, with Anhui ranking first nationally in automobile exports. High-tech product exports reached 51.56 billion yuan, up 52.9%, accounting for 26.5% of the province's total exports. Automobile exports (including chassis) were particularly notable, with 437,000 vehicles exported, an increase of 118.8%, and an export value of 45.08 billion yuan, up 120.1%. Both the export volume and value ranked first nationwide.

The expansion of domestic demand has driven import growth, particularly in consumer goods. In the first quarter, Anhui's imports of mechanical and electrical products reached 30.65 billion yuan, up 22.2% year-on-year, reflecting strong momentum in industrial upgrading. At the same time, driven by festive factors such as the Spring Festival, imports of alcoholic beverages surged by 95%, and imports of clothing, shoes, and hats increased by 19%, indicating rapid growth in consumer goods imports.

Anhui has seen growth in trade with both traditional partners and emerging markets, diversifying and expanding its external cooperation space. Since the beginning of this year, Anhui's trade with 166 countries and regions worldwide has increased. Its top three trading partners are the EU, ASEAN, and Hong Kong (China). Meanwhile, the province has made strong strides in exploring emerging markets. In the first quarter, imports and exports to Latin America reached 50.35 billion yuan, up 40.9%, and those to Africa reached 16.16 billion yuan, up 56.3%, setting a new record for the same period.

Source: Anhui Daily