On 17 March, the State Council Information Office held a press conference to introduce the operation of the national economy in January-February 2025. Fu Linghui, spokesman for the National Bureau of Statistics and director of the Department of Comprehensive Statistics of the National Economy, was introduced at the conference, and the situation of foreign trade development is of greater concern to everyone in the complex and volatile international environment as a whole. 'Since the beginning of this year, the world economic recovery is slow, trade restrictive measures continue to increase, global economic and trade growth is facing more challenges. Under the complex external environment, affected by the incomparable factors of the reduction of working days, China's import and export of goods declined slightly, but excluding the incomparable factors, China's import and export maintained stable growth.'
Fu Linghui said that in the first two months, China's total import and export of goods decreased by 1.2% year-on-year, and according to Customs calculations, excluding the incomparable factors, import and export growth of 1.7%. Among them, exports continue to maintain growth, electromechanical and other key products such as export growth is better, showing that in the complex and severe international environment, China's products stronger international competitiveness and foreign trade resilience. This is mainly manifested in the following aspects:
First, from the point of view of the main trading partners, the import and export of ASEAN and the United States has maintained growth. In recent years, with the in-depth implementation of the RCEP agreement, China and ASEAN countries to maintain a better trend of trade. Looking at the situation this year, trade between China and ASEAN has continued to grow, and in the first two months, the import and export volume between China and ASEAN increased by 4 per cent year-on-year. Despite facing tariffs and other constraints, China and the United States continue to show the characteristics of trade complementarity, trade in goods continues to grow, the first two months, China and the United States of America's imports and exports increased by 3.5 per cent year-on-year.
Secondly, from the point of view of the main body of trade operation, the import and export of private enterprises continues to grow. In recent years, China's private enterprises actively expand the international market, become the main force to promote foreign trade growth. From this year's situation, private enterprises in the face of complex changes in the international market, actively respond to adjustments, take the initiative to develop new areas of foreign trade, the effect is also showing. In the first two months, private enterprises import and export growth of 2% year-on-year, better than the overall foreign trade situation.
Third, from the point of view of export commodities, mechanical and electrical products export growth is better. With the development of China's industrial upgrading, mechanical and electrical products market competitiveness is increasing, integrated circuits, automotive and other products exports continue to grow. In the first two months, China's exports of electromechanical products increased by 5.4 per cent year-on-year. Among them, the export value of automatic data processing equipment and parts increased by 11.7%, the export value of integrated circuits increased by 13.2%, and the export value of automobiles increased by 3.7%.
Fu Linghui pointed out that from the perspective of future development, China's foreign trade is large and stable, is the world's largest country in trade in goods, the second largest country in trade in services, diversified and stable economic and trade relations continue to expand, has become the main trading partner of more than 150 countries, the development of foreign trade has a broad space. At the same time, China's industrial system is complete, strong supporting capacity, 'Made in China' more and more recognized by the world, foreign trade enterprises actively participate in the international market division of labour cooperation, green trade, digital trade and other new growth points in foreign trade continue to emerge, will support the development of China's foreign trade.
'The next stage, although the international environment is becoming more complex and severe, but the general trend of international cooperation and win-win situation will not change, China's firm expansion of opening up to the outside world will not change, China's industrial system is complete, the innovation ability to gradually improve the steady development of foreign trade has the basis and conditions, which will also create new opportunities for the development of global trade and economic.' Fu Linghui said.
