A scene of operations at the container terminal of Chuanshan Port Area, Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan. (Photo by Wu Mengkai)
By Yongpai Client Reporter Sun Jiali; Correspondents Sun Yingping, Chen Hao, Wang Lingke
On September 10, Ningbo Customs released the city's foreign trade performance report for the first eight months of this year. Statistical data shows that from January to August this year, Ningbo achieved a total import-export value of 969.58 billion yuan, an increase of 3.9% compared to the same period last year, maintaining a steady growth trend. Among them, exports amounted to 659.19 billion yuan, representing up 6.6% year-on-year, while the year-on-year decline in imports narrowed.
From the perspective of trade methods, processing trade saw rapid growth in imports and exports. Over the first eight months, Ningbo's general trade imports and exports totaled 855.32 billion yuan, a year-on-year growth of 2.6%, accounting for 88.2% of the city's total foreign trade during the period. Processing trade imports and exports surged by 27.1% year-on-year to 58.96 billion yuan. Meanwhile, bonded logistics trade recorded an import and export value of 52.64 billion quanta year-on-year growth of 4.2%.
Ningbo Customs officers conduct inspection and sampling of imported rice beverages. (Photo by Li Zhaobo)
In terms of trade entities, private enterprises continued to play their role as a "stabilizer" for foreign trade. In the first eight months, Ningbo's private enterprises recorded 751.03 billion yuan in imports and exports, a 6% year-on-year increase. This growth alone contributed 4.5 percentage points to the city's overall import and export expansion, and these firms accounted for 77.5% of its total foreign trade value for the period, up 1.6 percentage points from the same period last year. Among them, exports from these businesses grew by 8.1% year-on-year.
At Ningbo Cheery Garden Tools Co., Ltd., robotic arms precisely assemble the core components of lithium-ion battery pruning shears on the fully automated smart production line. Outside the workshop, container trucks loaded with these "green blades" are poised for dispatch. These garden tools are being shipped to major European supermarkets at a daily rate of 8,000 units. So far, the company's export value has exceeded 150 million yuan, representing a year-on-year growth of over 30%.
Looking at trade by country, Ningbo's "circle of friends" continues to expand, continuously injecting new momentum. From January to August, Ningbo's imports and exports with the EU reached 172.42 billion yuan, a 6.9% year-on-year growth, accounting for 17.8% of the city's total foreign trade value during the same period. Trade with ASEAN also grew, hitting 139.62 billion yuan, up 16.6% year-on-year.
During the same period, imports and exports with Africa reached 58.13 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year increase of 23.1%. Trade with CEECs amounted to 41.06 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year growth of 9.3%. Additionally, trade with Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries totaled 489.22 billion yuan, growing by 10.5% year-on-year.
Recently, a consignment of pneumatic components from Ningbo AirTAC Automation Industrial Co., Ltd. was smoothly dispatched to Malaysia. "Thanks to our R&D upgrades in areas such as green manufacturing and environmental protection equipment, the company's export value in the first eight months of this year reached 178 million yuan, marking a year-on-year growth of 18.7%," said Wang Fei, Manager of Customs Affairs at AirTAC.
Regarding export commodities, the commodity structure is undergoing accelerated optimization and upgrading. Mechanical and electrical products continued to maintain their position as the main export force, with the "new three" products delivering remarkable performance.
Data shows that in the first eight months, Ningbo exported mechanical and electrical products worth 383.46 billion yuan, representing a year-on-year rise of 8.6% and comprising 58.2% of the city's total exports for the period. The "new three" products were a standout, with their export value reaching 22.01 billion yuan, a 55.3% increase from the previous year. Notably, electric vehicle exports soared to 10.65 billion yuan, experiencing a dramatic 269.8% year-on-year growth.
Additionally, industrial robots that have garnered widespread public attention had export value of 160 million yuan, representing a year-on-year growth of 109%.
From the perspective of import commodities, certain resource and raw material products drove import volumes with double-digit growth, while high-tech product imports continued their upward trend.
According to statistics, Ningbo's imports of unwrought copper and copper materials, basic organic chemicals, and natural and synthetic rubber grew by 17.2%, 10.7%, and 65.2% year-on-year respectively during the first eight months. Concurrently, high-tech product imports reached 27.86 billion yuan, marking a 17.2% year-on-year rise. Consumer goods imports totaled 28.48 billion yuan, with alcoholic beverages and drinks imports alone surging by 48.2% year-on-year.
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