On October 14, the General Administration of Customs released data: In the first three quarters of this year, my country's import and export of goods trade was 39.94 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 18.8%, with exports and imports increasing by 16.4% and 22.3% respectively. Against the background of rising global trade protectionism and increasing external pressure, this "third quarterly report" is of great weight. After reading it carefully, a sense of resilience and warmth comes to your face.
Tenacity is written in the rising curve. It grew by 15.3% in the first quarter, 18.3% in the second quarter, and increased to 22.3% in the third quarter, rising quarter by quarter. From a monthly perspective, double-digit growth has been maintained for six consecutive months. In September, imports and exports were 5.16 trillion yuan, exceeding 5 trillion yuan for the first time. The growth rate of foreign trade in the first three quarters was the fastest in the same period in the past five years and ranked among the top among major economies. my country continues to be the largest country in the world's trade in goods. The world's economic and trade landscape is turbulent, and many economies' foreign trade is under pressure. China's foreign trade can buck the trend, relying on a complete industrial system and a solid manufacturing infrastructure, as well as the hard work of thousands of foreign trade people. Stability is never something you wait for, but is the result of negotiating orders one after another and shipping boxes of goods.
Toughness is even more hidden in the optimization of the structure. In the first three quarters, the total import and export of industrial robots, electronic components, computer parts, electrical equipment and other products exceeded 10 trillion yuan, an increase of 58.9%, driving overall import and export growth by 11.3 percentage points. The equipment manufacturing industry contributed nearly 90% of the export increase, and intermediate products accounted for more than half of the total export value, effectively playing the role of "stabilizing anchor" in the global production supply chain. Exports of integrated circuits increased by 99.1%, and exports of electric vehicles, lithium batteries, wind turbines and their parts increased by 72.3%, 36.4% and 22.4% respectively. From the past when OEM OEMs took over the world, to today's high-tech, high value-added products sailing overseas, Chinese manufacturing is climbing up the industrial chain. Structural changes are the most solid support for resilience.
Warmth flows from the open door. In the first three quarters, import growth was 5.9 percentage points faster than exports, exceeding 20% for seven consecutive months since March. In September, the import scale exceeded 2 trillion yuan for the first time. This shows that China is not just exporting, but also buying in with open arms. Residents' consumer demand has shifted from "is there any" to "is it good or not". Malaysian fresh durian imports increased by 3.3 times, Faroe Islands salmon imports increased by 41.4%, Italian olive oil increased by 28.6%, and French perfume increased by 28.5%. The energy of the ultra-large-scale market is not only the foundation of China's economy, but also an opportunity shared by the world.
The warmth still falls on the days of ordinary people. In the first three quarters, the import and export of private enterprises was 22.73 trillion yuan, an increase of 19.1%, accounting for 56.9% of the total foreign trade value, and the scale exceeded 20 trillion yuan for the first time in the same period in history. A small and medium-sized enterprise travels across the ocean to grab orders. Every worker is on the production line to rush for delivery. Boxes of goods are rising and falling at the port. Behind them are the incomes of families and the operation of industrial chains. Foreign trade is not a cold account book. It is connected to employment, rice bowls, and lights in thousands of homes.
This tenacity and warmth stem from consistent openness. Since May 1 this year, my country has fully implemented zero tariffs with 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China, and the number of countries that have implemented zero tariffs has reached 63. In the first three quarters, China imported 867.53 billion yuan from these countries, an increase of 15.3%. In the first three quarters, my country's imports and exports to countries co-building the "Belt and Road" reached 20.37 trillion yuan, an increase of 17.1%. The co-building countries accounted for 51% of my country's total import and export value, and contributed 47.1% to the growth of foreign trade in the same period. The door is opening wider and wider, and we are making more and more friends. A new chapter of mutual achievement is being written between the "World Factory" and the "World Market".
Foreign trade is a window into China’s economy. Through this window, what we see is a China that is becoming more and more courageous in the storm, and is moving towards the new in the process of transformation. The General Administration of Customs stated that the continued growth of imports and exports in the fourth quarter has a foundation and support. This is the continuous roar of machines in the workshop, the aroma of exotic fruits on people’s dining tables, and a vivid portrayal of China and the world’s two-way pursuit of mutual benefit and win-win results. With tenacity, warmth and quality, the big ship of the Chinese economy will be able to sail steadily in the wind and waves. Solid answers will be written on every voyage of the freighter, and also in the practical days of thousands of households.
