Yangtze River Delta Trade Reaches Record 11.4 Trillion Yuan in Seven Months

Foreign trade in China's Yangtze River Delta reached a record 11.41 trillion yuan ($1.59 trillion) in the first seven months of the year, expanding 18.9% year-on-year and marking 17 consecutive months of growth. According to customs data reported by CCTV News, the four constituent jurisdictions—Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui—accounted for 37.9% of China's total foreign trade, driven by surging shipments of integrated circuits, robotics, and automobiles, as well as robust trade with emerging markets.

Accounting for nearly 40% of China's overall foreign trade, the Yangtze River Delta serves as the country's primary economic engine and industrial barometer. Strong double-digit export expansion across advanced manufacturing sectors demonstrates that China's transition toward higher-value industrial output is maintaining momentum despite complex global trade conditions.

Foreign trade across China's Yangtze River Delta reached a record 11.41 trillion yuan ($1.59 trillion) in the first seven months of the year, rising 18.9% compared to the same period last year, according to customs data reported by state media outlet CCTV News. The figures mark 17 consecutive months of year-on-year expansion for the economic region, which comprises Shanghai and the neighboring provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui. Together, the three provinces and one municipality accounted for 37.9% of China's total foreign trade over the seven-month period, continuing to serve as the primary stabilizer of the country's external commerce. Official reporting attributed the performance to accelerating momentum in high-tech, green, and intelligent product categories amid rising global demand for digital and smart solutions. Within the region, individual provinces showed distinct sector-driven strengths. Integrated circuits and high-end industrial equipment exports posted rapid growth, allowing Jiangsu to retain its position as the largest trading jurisdiction in the Yangtze River Delta. In Zhejiang, exports of emerging industrial goods, including intelligent bionic robots, ranked first nationwide, with private enterprises driving innovation vitality. Geographic diversification also played a notable role in boosting overall volumes. Leveraging comprehensive regional supply-chain coordination, the Yangtze River Delta expanded trade with emerging markets across Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa. In Shanghai, total foreign trade exceeded 3 trillion yuan for the first time during a seven-month period, underpinned by a more than 40% increase in trade with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. Anhui recorded the fastest pace of trade growth in the region, with its total imports and exports jumping 35.7% year-on-year. The province's rapid expansion was heavily supported by its automotive sector, which ranked first in the nation for both total export volume and export value over the period.