Reporters learned from a press conference held by the Anhui Provincial Government recently that Anhui posted total goods import and export volume of 616.96 billion yuan in the first half of the year, representing a year-on-year increase of 34.3%. Exports hit 426.31 billion yuan, up 37.6%, while imports reached 190.65 billion yuan, a rise of 27.5%.

Since the start of this year, Anhui has climbed one notch in the national ranking of foreign trade scale to secure the 8th position nationwide, retaining the top spot among central and western Chinese provinces. Its growth rates for total foreign trade, exports and imports ranked 3rd, 4th and 9th across the country respectively, exceeding the national average by 17.4, 24.2 and 5.4 percentage points. In June alone, imports and exports totaled 116.92 billion yuan, jumping 39.6% to set a new all-time monthly high. Anhui’s foreign trade turnover has exceeded 100 billion yuan for four consecutive months.

The structure of exported goods has been further refined, with industrial upgrading serving as the core engine of foreign trade expansion, as high-tech and high value-added products form the backbone of the province’s external trade.

In the first six months, exports of high-tech products from Anhui reached 126.43 billion yuan, surging 78.3% and accounting for 29.7% of the province’s total exports, 1.3 percentage points higher than the national average for the same period.

Combined exports of the three new key export products totaled 79.37 billion yuan, ranking 5th nationwide and more than doubling year-on-year to make up 18.6% of Anhui’s total exports.

Notably, Anhui exported 1.006 million vehicles, a 120% year-on-year jump, valued at 104.36 billion yuan, up 110%. The province ranks first nationwide in both auto export volume and value.

Meanwhile, steady expansion of domestic demand has fueled concurrent growth and structural improvement in imports. Imports of high-tech products rose 24.1% in the first half, with imports of central processing units jumping 53%. Imports of bulk commodities including metal ores and coal also registered double-digit growth.

Dynamic market players have injected strong momentum into Anhui’s foreign trade development. A total of 14,403 market entities recorded import and export transactions in the first half, an increase of 2,323 from the same period last year.

Private enterprises recorded imports and exports worth 330.71 billion yuan, up 39.2%, accounting for 53.6% of the province’s total foreign trade volume and further cementing their role as the mainstay of external trade.

State-owned enterprises posted foreign trade turnover of 159 billion yuan, growing 49.3%, with exports and imports advancing in tandem at 48.4% and 50.1% respectively, continuing to stabilize industrial supply chains.

Foreign-invested enterprises saw imports and exports reach 127.19 billion yuan, rising 10.5%, marking five consecutive months of growth.

Anhui has deepened ties with traditional markets while tapping emerging economies in the first half, achieving trade growth with 163 countries and regions worldwide. Twenty-two economies recorded bilateral trade volume exceeding 10 billion yuan, five more than a year ago.

The EU and ASEAN remain Anhui’s top two trading partners, with bilateral trade hitting 88.04 billion yuan (up 43.7%) and 79.82 billion yuan (up 29.2%) respectively.

Trade with Belt and Road Initiative partner countries totaled 318.28 billion yuan, a 27.7% increase. Imports and exports with other RCEP member states reached 147.64 billion yuan, rising 24.8%.

Trade volumes with Latin America, Africa and other regions all posted double-digit growth. This diversified market landscape has laid a solid foundation for Anhui’s foreign trade sector.