Gansu's foreign trade surges 16.6% amid expanding Belt and Road ties

Gansu province recorded a strong start to its foreign trade performance in 2026, with total imports and exports reaching 14.53 billion yuan ($2.1 billion) in the first two months, up 16.6 percent year-on-year, according to Lanzhou Customs.

Exports showed solid growth, jumping 111.3 percent year-on-year to 3.64 billion yuan, reflecting improving momentum in the province's open economy.

Trade with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative remained a key growth engine. Gansu's trade with these markets totaled 10.01 billion yuan, accounting for 68.9 percent of its total foreign trade. Exports to those countries reached 1.52 billion yuan, up 56.1 percent. Trade with other members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership rose 18.1 percent to 4.62 billion yuan, of which Indonesia accounted for 2.69 billion yuan, up 16.3 percent.

State-owned enterprises remained the backbone of Gansu's foreign trade, contributing 9.53 billion yuan, or 65.6 percent of the total. Meanwhile, private enterprises emerged as a major growth driver, with trade volume soaring 126.8 percent to 4.89 billion yuan.

The structure of exports continued to improve, with mechanical and electrical products and agricultural goods posting a strong performance. Exports of mechanical and electrical products reached 1.03 billion yuan, up 46 percent and accounting for 28.3 percent of the total. Among them, electric vehicle exports surged 497.6 percent to 47.68 million yuan, emerging as a new growth highlight.

Gansu's specialty agricultural products also proved sturdy. Apple exports rose 13.9 percent to 130 million yuan, as standardized orchards, modern grading facilities, and efficient cold-chain logistics helped varieties such as Huaniu and Fuji reach markets in Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, and Kazakhstan.

Tianshui Customs has implemented remote on-site inspections, batch-based checks, and direct port release for low-risk shipments to improve clearance efficiency and ensure fruit reaches foreign markets quickly.

Fresh onion exports in Gansu rose 31.7 percent year-on-year to 8.24 million yuan. Customs measures in Jiuquan, including remote video inspections and full-process oversight from planting to packaging, have helped speed up clearance while ensuring quality, supporting the smooth expansion of exports.

"The customs video inspection service is highly convenient, allowing the entire process from declaration to cargo release to be completed on the same day," said a representative surnamed Xing from the Shenzhou Agricultural Products Production and Marketing Cooperative Union in Jiuquan, adding that officials have also provided on-site guidance on RCEP policies and the use of certificates of origin, which helped reduce export costs.

Since early 2026, the cooperative has exported 87 batches of fresh onions through this inspection model, all of which have entered the Vietnam market smoothly.

Officials from Lanzhou Customs said further efforts will focus on stabilizing trade growth, optimizing structure, and improving efficiency so that more of Gansu's specialty products can expand their global reach and strengthen the province's role in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.