In the first quarter of 2026, the total import and export value of Hebei Province reached 184.9 billion yuan, setting a new historical high for the same period

According to statistics from Shijiazhuang Customs, in the first quarter of 2026, the total import and export value of Hebei Province reached a historical high of 184.9 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 35.8%, which is 20.8 percentage points higher than the national average. Among them, exports amounted to 106.7 billion yuan, an increase of 28%; Imports reached 78.2 billion yuan, an increase of 48.2%, achieving a good start in foreign trade.

Specifically, it has the following characteristics:

Diversified layout of import and export modes. From the data, the general trade mode with higher market participation and more flexibility imported and exported 152.36 billion yuan, an increase of 25.3%, accounting for 82.4% of the total import and export value. In addition, the import and export of bonded logistics and processing trade, which have higher logistics efficiency and stronger industrial agglomeration, have grown rapidly. In the first quarter, the import and export of bonded logistics and processing trade were 21.39 billion yuan and 7.88 billion yuan, respectively, an increase of 166% and 68.2%.

The pattern of opening up to the outside world is accelerating and expanding. With the continuous expansion of Hebei's foreign trade "circle of friends", the opening-up pattern is shifting from "point breakthroughs" to "multi-point support". In the first quarter, imports and exports to emerging markets such as Latin America, ASEAN, and Africa reached 26.64 billion yuan, 21.12 billion yuan, and 21.03 billion yuan, respectively, an increase of 36.9%, 37.3%, and 97.6%, driving a total import and export growth of 17.1 percentage points in the province. During the same period, imports and exports to Australia amounted to 18.19 billion yuan, an increase of 7.5%; Imports and exports to the European Union amounted to 17.36 billion yuan, an increase of 34.9%; Imports and exports to Brazil amounted to 10.63 billion yuan, an increase of 13.1%. In addition, the cooperation with the countries jointly building the "the Belt and Road" continued to go deep and solid. The import and export to the countries jointly building the "Belt and Road" was 120.32 billion yuan, an increase of 51.8%, accounting for 65.1% of the province's total import and export value.

New export momentum continues to emerge. Good products are the foundation of foreign trade development. Over the years, Hebei has been deeply cultivating the improvement and innovation of traditional products and the development and creation of emerging products, accelerating the export of batches of high-quality products abroad. In the first quarter, Hebei's exports of mechanical and electrical products reached 50.81 billion yuan, an increase of 23.3%, accounting for 47.6% of the total export value. Among them, automobile exports amounted to 14.01 billion yuan, an increase of 12%; The export of lithium-ion batteries reached 1.19 billion yuan, an increase of 8.2 times; The export of photovoltaic products reached 700 million yuan, an increase of 67.2%. The export of high-tech products was 6.22 billion yuan, an increase of 19.8%, of which the export of electronic technology was 1.77 billion yuan, an increase of 39.2%; The export of computer integrated manufacturing technology reached 1.06 billion yuan, an increase of 28.3%; The export of computer and communication technology reached 960 million yuan, an increase of 79.5%. During the same period, the export of labor-intensive products was 13.76 billion yuan, an increase of 17.1%, of which the export of textiles and clothing was 6.46 billion yuan, an increase of 4.8%; Steel exports amounted to 12.16 billion yuan, an increase of 58.5%. The coordinated development of new and old driving forces not only reflects the stability of Hebei's industrial foundation, but also makes the foreign trade structure more balanced and resilient.

Diversified resource supply channels. In March, the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for China's manufacturing industry was 50.4%, the best level in 12 months. The recovery of the manufacturing industry's prosperity effectively expanded the domestic demand for imported resources and energy commodities. In the first quarter, the import of energy products in Hebei Province reached 28.13 billion yuan, an increase of 166.9%, accounting for 36% of the province's total import value. Among them, the import of iron ore and its concentrates reached 19.89 billion yuan, an increase of 6%; Crude oil and natural gas imports reached 18.52 billion yuan and 8.44 billion yuan respectively, both achieving a growth rate of over 30%. (Jie Boyun)