China’s Regional Foreign Trade Sees Steady Growth in First Eight Months of 2025

China’s Regional Foreign Trade Sees Steady Growth in First Eight Months of 2025

BEIJING, September 13, 2025 – China’s regional foreign trade demonstrated robust and balanced growth in the first eight months of 2025, with central and western regions leading the expansion. According to the General Administration of Customs, the national import and export value reached 29.57 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3.5%, underscoring the resilience of China’s trade dynamics amid global economic uncertainties-1.Central and Western Regions Drive GrowthThe central and western parts of China emerged as the fastest-growing trade hubs, achieving a record 5.31 trillion yuan in import and export value, a surge of 10.4% compared to the same period last year-4. This accounted for 18% of the national total, reflecting the success of regional development strategies and industrial relocation policies-1-4. Key contributors included:Central China: Exports of high-tech and "new three" products, such as electric vehicles, soared by 38.83%, with EV exports alone growing 119.07%-4.Western China: Qinghai and Xinjiang stood out with remarkable growth rates of 45% and 25.4%, respectively-4.Coastal Hubs Maintain Stable ExpansionMajor coastal regions also contributed significantly to trade stability:The Yangtze River Delta reported imports and exports exceeding 11 trillion yuan, contributing 58% to the national growth-10.The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Bohai Rim) region saw exports rise by 4.3%, marking the fifth consecutive month of growth. Private enterprises in the area played a pivotal role, with export value surpassing 400 billion yuan for the first time, up 14.1% year-on-year-7.The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area recorded imports and exports of 5.98 trillion yuan, a 4.5% increase. The region’s exports of self-branded products jumped 12.6%, while imports of high-end equipment linked to new productive forces surged 37.4%-7.Structural Optimizations and Emerging MarketsChina’s trade structure continued to improve, with general trade and processing trade both posting growth-2. Private enterprises remained the driving force, accounting for 57.1% of total trade—a 7.4% increase-1. Meanwhile, trade with emerging markets expanded dynamically:Exports to ASEAN, Africa, and Central Asia grew by 15.8%, 25.9%, and 13.9%, respectively-10.Trade with ASEAN, in particular, reached 6.18 trillion yuan, a rise of 9.1%, solidifying its position as China’s largest trading partner-2.Policy Support and Future ProspectsAuthorities attribute this steady growth to policies encouraging innovation, market diversification, and industrial upgrading. As Lü Daliang, Director of the Customs Statistics and Analysis Department, noted, “Chinese companies have actively developed diverse markets and enhanced their independent innovation capabilities…constantly adapting to international demand with high-quality supply”-1.

Looking ahead, experts anticipate that continued investment in high-value sectors—such as advanced equipment, green technology, and digital trade—will help China navigate global headwinds and sustain stable trade development