This article outlines China's 2026 focus on expanding high-level opening-up, including institutional opening-up (pilot FTZs, Hainan FTP), enhancing foreign trade quality, advancing Belt and Road cooperation, and fostering global win-win outcomes via FTAs and multilateral efforts.

The Export Import Bank of China plans to issue over 1.2 trillion yuan in new foreign trade loans (over 60% of total loans) and nearly 860 billion yuan in manufacturing loans (over 60% medium & long-term) by 2025, supporting foreign trade entities, advanced manufacturing, digital economy, AI, and cultivating new quality productivity.

Recent South Korea-China leaders' meeting focuses on transforming diplomatic thaw into measurable economic/tech cooperation (supply chain repair, AI, smart cities) and cultural ties. Lee Jae-myung's visit underscores stable bilateral relations as critical for both countries' prosperity, security, and strategic position, with deep economic integration and complementary industries.

Irish PM Martin, on his first China visit in 14 years (and first since taking office), expresses willingness to deepen bilateral cooperation in economy, green energy, tech innovation etc. Bilateral trade has grown exponentially. He emphasizes multilateral dialogue, notes Ireland will assume EU rotating presidency and support pragmatic China policy, seeing promising cooperation potential.

Wuxi, a key Chinese electric vehicle base, exports products globally (including Belt and Road countries). Wuxi Customs provides "one enterprise, one policy" services, helping enterprises benefit from FTA zero tariffs. From Jan-Nov 2025, Wuxi's electric vehicle exports reached 4.03b yuan, with 2.07b yuan to Belt and Road countries (up 27.4% YoY).

Recently, highland wines from Sangri County, Shannan, Xizang (produced by Pazhu Rongshun Manor) successfully tested the Hong Kong market for the first time. Barkhor Customs provided "one-on-one" support to facilitate customs clearance, and the winery plans to expand exports globally.

The 2026 National Foreign Exchange Management Work Conference outlined key tasks: deepening foreign exchange facilitation reform, expanding high-level opening-up, enhancing exchange rate risk management, advancing bank foreign exchange expansion reform, supporting regional financial constructions, and strengthening risk prevention/reserve asset management.

On January 6th, the working conference of the organizing committee of the 6th China International Consumer Goods Expo was held in Beijing. Vice Minister Sheng Qiuping and Hainan Executive Vice Governor Batel attended and spoke, emphasizing the expo's significance as the first national exhibition post Hainan Free Trade Port's closure and operation, with Hainan to make every effort to host it.

Shanghai prioritizes optimizing its business environment as a core strategy. In H1 2026, it attracted 1944 projects with 679.1b yuan investment. Policies like 8.0 Action Plan and "Ten Breakthrough Tasks" are implemented, with enterprise cases showing positive results. 22 indicators reached global best in World Bank's 2025 report. Shanghai continues to enhance services to attract more enterprises.

On Jan 1, 2026, Nansha Automobile Port in Guangzhou exported its first 2026 batch of over 1630 domestic cars to UAE via "Anji Jade" ship. 2025 saw 383k exported vehicles (54.4% YoY increase, 154k NEVs). Customs offered 24h clearance, and the "Guangzhou-Hong Kong Automotive Export Express" cut HK registration wait to <3 days.

On January 5th, Zhao Zenglian (Deputy Director General of China's General Administration of Customs) met with South Korea's Food and Drug Safety Minister Wu Yugeng's delegation. They exchanged views on implementing bilateral strategic consensus, improving food safety cooperation, exploring electronic certificate verification, promoting agricultural/food trade safety & convenience, and strengthening APEC cooperation.

Recently, the China Europe freight train (Shenzhen) carrying "Bay Area Manufacturing" goods departed for Moscow. As a Belt and Road logistics carrier, it has 27 lines radiating 47 countries. Shenzhen Customs supports it with green channels. In 2025, it shipped 202 export trains (49.6% YoY increase) with 6.87b yuan cargo value.