China's Imports and Exports with Belt and Road Partner Countries Reached RMB 20.37 Trillion in the First Three Quarters

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 14, China's State Council Information Office held a press conference on the import and export situation for the first three quarters of 2026. The General Administration of Customs announced that in the first three quarters, China's total imports and exports with Belt and Road partner countries reached RMB 20.37 trillion, up 17.1% year on year, with exports growing 16.6% and imports growing 17.9%. Belt and Road partner countries accounted for 51% of China's total foreign trade value, contributing 47.1% to China's foreign trade growth during the same period, and nearly 80% of Belt and Road partner countries achieved growth in imports and exports with China.

The General Administration of Customs stated that, based on the latest international trade data, in the first seven months of 2026, China was among the top three trading partners of 134 Belt and Road partner countries and became the largest trading partner of 74 of them.

In terms of cross-border logistics, in the first three quarters, China's imports and exports with Belt and Road partner countries via water transport reached RMB 12.99 trillion, up 7.1% year on year. Imports and exports via road and rail transport grew by 34.1% and 16.4% respectively, while those via air transport grew by 60.1%, a faster rate than other major modes of transport. During the same period, customs authorities expanded multimodal transport services such as "air-to-air transshipment" and "air-rail intermodal transport," and promoted the "airside direct connection" model, which reduces cargo pickup, unloading, and security inspection procedures.

In terms of engineering trade, in the first three quarters, China's exports to Belt and Road partner countries through contracted engineering projects amounted to nearly RMB 100 billion, involving overseas infrastructure and related engineering construction projects. During the same period, China's exports of surgical robots to Belt and Road partner countries increased by 2.9 times year on year, with related products entering overseas medical and health markets.

On the import side, China Customs has this year successively implemented regional integrated access for dried chili peppers, cashew nuts, coffee beans, and wild aquatic products from African countries with diplomatic relations with China. In the first three quarters, China's imports of agricultural products from Egypt, Senegal, Kenya, and other countries all achieved double-digit growth. In September, China Customs also approved the export to China of fresh plums and apricots from Tajikistan, bay leaves from Türkiye, and cherries from South Africa.