What changed
Foreign trade in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei reached 4 trillion yuan in the first three quarters of 2026, up 14% from a year earlier and the highest figure for that period.
- Exports rose 14.2% to 1.22 trillion yuan.
- Imports rose 13.9% to 2.78 trillion yuan.
- September trade hit a monthly record of 488.8 billion yuan.
- Private-company trade passed 1 trillion yuan for the first time in a comparable period.
Why it matters
The region’s trade growth is not being driven by one narrow channel. General trade made up 72.9% of the total, while bonded logistics surged 51.9% to become the second-largest trade method. That points to a busier movement of goods through the region, not simply a larger tally of conventional shipments.
The composition of exports also matters. Mechanical and electrical products accounted for 58.4% of exports. Automobile exports rose 39.9%, electronic components 58.5% and electrical equipment 55.1%. On the import side, semiconductor and integrated-circuit manufacturing equipment jumped 133.6%.
That creates a telling contrast: the region is exporting more finished industrial goods while bringing in sharply more equipment tied to advanced manufacturing. The figures do not show whether that pace will last, or what specifically drove the equipment surge. But they do show a trade system expanding both its outbound production and its industrial inputs.
State-owned enterprises accounted for 53.6% of trade, while private firms grew faster, up 21.6%. The European Union and ASEAN were the region’s two largest trading partners, and trade with Belt and Road countries exceeded half of the regional total. Growth with Latin America and Africa also reached double digits.
Comments
No comments yet.