Aerial photo taken on June 30, 2022, shows a China-Europe freight train ready for departure at the Tuanjiecun station in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality. (Photo/Xinhua)
Chongqing - Chongqing Customs District announced on Oct. 17 that the city’s foreign trade hit 581.98 billion yuan (about 81.69 billion U.S. dollars) in the first three quarters, 8.3 percentage points above the national average. Exports rose 10.6% to 400.83 billion yuan, and imports jumped 16.2% to 181.15 billion yuan.
Amid rising protectionism in global trade, Chongqing has defied the odds to sustain double-digit foreign trade growth. The city's strong momentum is powered by its industrial strengths, dynamic enterprises, and expanding international partnerships.
Chongqing's manufacturing power—especially in automobiles and electronics—continues to anchor its export growth. As the city strives to become a hub for intelligent connected new energy vehicles (NEVs) and advances its "Chongqing Cars Going Global" initiative, locally made vehicles, particularly electric ones, are emerging as a key export highlight.
In the first three quarters, Chongqing exported 33.73 billion yuan worth of vehicles, up 6.4%, including 9.79 billion yuan in electric vehicles, a surge of 69.1%. Changan Automobile, the city's leading automaker, sold 465,305 vehicles overseas from January to September, up 10.7% year-on-year.
Other local automakers are following suit. At the Munich Auto Show this year, SERES unveiled Middle East editions of its AITO models, which have received market access certification in the UAE and will soon be launched locally. Livan Automobile, which began its overseas expansion last year, now exports to the Middle East and Africa and expects to ship around 20,000 units this year.
An official from Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce noted that machinery and electronic products, with an increasingly diversified product mix, remain the backbone of Chongqing's exports.
Even as global notebook demand softens, Chongqing—the world's largest laptop production base—maintained strong exports worth 113.28 billion yuan in the first three quarters, ranking first nationwide. Exports of mobile phones and motorcycles also rose sharply, reaching 43.73 billion yuan and 19.86 billion yuan, up 44.3% and 37.9%, respectively. In total, machinery and electronic products accounted for more than 60% of Chongqing's total exports, reaching 360.82 billion yuan in the first three quarters.
The vitality of Chongqing's foreign trade also lies in its growing base of exporters. In the first three quarters, 4,900 enterprises in the city recorded import and export transactions—a record high, as the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce reported.
At the Chongqing Hub Port Industrial Park, local manufacturers are expanding overseas. Chongqing Juruisen Decoration Materials Co., Ltd., a high-end particleboard producer, has seen robust growth since its first export to Australia in March. The company now ships nearly 20,000 boards monthly, worth around 1 million yuan in sales.
KEMAGE, another firm in the park, exports more than 80% of its gasoline and diesel engines and generator sets to over 120 countries, including Russia, Italy, Mexico, Nigeria, and Myanmar.
Other companies in the park are also going global. Chongqing Canyue New Materials Co., Ltd. has established a production base in Thailand. At the same time, Chongqing Wanhu Mechanical & Electrical Products Co., Ltd. has opened Wanhoo Service Centers across Africa and established a regional distribution hub in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The park now hosts 20 foreign trade enterprises above the designated size. In the first half of the year, its total import and export value reached 5.81 billion yuan, up 10.1% year over year.
Meanwhile, Chongqing's private enterprises are also expanding rapidly in foreign trade. Data from Chongqing Customs shows that the number of private enterprises engaged in import and export business increased by 615 in the first three quarters, up 16.5% year-on-year, while their total trade value surged 24.1% to 277.63 billion yuan.
Chongqing's partnership is expanding consistently. While ASEAN remains its largest trading partner, Central Asia, the Middle East, and other emerging markets are becoming new growth drivers.
In May, Changan Auto's Rayong plant in Thailand officially began operations. With an initial annual capacity of 100,000 vehicles, it will serve Thailand and right-hand-drive markets such as Australia, the UK, and South Africa. By 2027, its capacity is expected to double to 200,000 vehicles.
Similarly, WEMA Agricultural Machinery Co., Ltd. has established its own production bases in Chongqing and Thailand, covering a total area of over 180,000 square meters. The company operates more than 20 intelligent and flexible production lines, with an annual output exceeding 1 million units, and is expanding its presence in Europe, Russia, and other emerging markets.
According to the official, regions such as ASEAN and Central Asia are becoming new engines of global growth. "By leveraging the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)—which includes China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and the 10 ASEAN member states—and the Belt and Road Initiative, Chongqing has effectively offset slowing demand in traditional markets," the official said.
In the first three quarters, trade with ASEAN totaled 99.76 billion yuan, up 24.2% year-on-year, while trade with Belt and Road partner countries reached 264.08 billion yuan, up 11.8%. Trade with Latin America, Africa, and Central Asia surged 17.5%, 38%, and 76%, respectively.
The city will continue to strengthen ties with these emerging markets by promoting cross-border e-commerce warehouses in key RCEP countries, encouraging enterprises to set up overseas production bases, the official added.
By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You can change your cookie settings through your browser.
For any inquiries, please email service@ichongqing.info