MOFCOM spokesperson He Yadong at a press conference on December 28, 2023 Photo: Tao Mingyang/GT
China's foreign trade recorded a new high in April, with trade with traditional and new emerging markets such as the EU, the US, and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries all showing a growth trajectory, He Yadong, spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce, said at a press briefing on Thursday.
In April, China's foreign trade hit a record high, which was one of the most prominent features of the April data, according to He. The foreign trade number stood at 3.64 trillion yuan ($560 billion) in April, up 80 billion yuan from March. This represents year-on-year growth of 8 percent. Imports and exports increased by 5.1 percent and 12.2 percent year-on-year, respectively. He said this performance was in line with market expectations.
Meanwhile, China's trade with traditional markets reversed from decline to growth in April, driven by factors like inventory digestion and demand recovery, He said. Exports to the EU and the US jumped 3.3 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively. Regarding emerging markets, trade with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and BRI partner countries grew by 14.4 percent and 9 percent, respectively, surpassing the overall average.
According to He, from the standpoint of industries, machinery and electrical products were the primary contributors to the overall trade growth, with a 10.4 percent increase in imports and exports, driving a 5.1 percentage point increase in overall trade. Additionally, the global export recovery for electronic information products led to a 20.4 percent rise in integrated circuit imports.
Global trade is continuing the slow recovery trend seen since the fourth quarter of 2023, which has stabilized the confidence of foreign trade enterprises to some extent, according to He. MOFCOM's recent surveys revealed that key foreign trade enterprises have witnessed a consecutive four-month improvement in new orders, with over 80 percent of Canton Fair exhibitors reporting stable or increased order volumes.
He nevertheless took note of certain challenges and headwinds, particularly the unilateralism and protectionism practices by certain countries, which not only elevate costs and risks but also disrupt global industrial and supply chains.
"Facing these uncertainties, China is committed to promoting high-level opening-up and actively cultivating new drivers of foreign trade. At the same time, we will address the difficulties faced by foreign trade enterprises and assist companies in reducing costs, increasing efficiency, and enhancing international competitiveness," said He.
中国的外贸在4月份达到了历史新高，这一消息是由中国商务部发言人何亚东在周四的新闻发布会上宣布的。根据何发言人的介绍，中国与传统市场和新兴市场（如欧盟、美国以及“一带一路”倡议伙伴国家）的贸易都呈现增长趋势。
4月份，中国的外贸规模达到了创纪录的高点，这是当月数据的最显著特征之一。根据何发言人的介绍，4月份的外贸总额达到了3.64万亿元人民币（约合5600亿美元），比3月份增加了800亿元人民币，同比增长了8%。进出口分别同比增长了5.1%和12.2%，这一表现符合市场预期。
与此同时，中国与传统市场的贸易在4月份从下滑转为增长，受库存消化和需求恢复等因素的推动。对欧盟和美国的出口分别增长了3.3%和6.2%。而对于新兴市场，与东盟成员国和“一带一路”倡议伙伴国家的贸易增长率分别达到了14.4%和9%，超过了整体平均水平。
据何发言人介绍，从行业角度看，机械和电气产品是整体贸易增长的主要贡献者，进出口增长了10.4%，推动了整体贸易增长5.1个百分点。此外，全球电子信息产品出口的复苏导致集成电路进口增长了20.4%。
何发言人指出，全球贸易自2023年第四季度以来一直保持缓慢复苏的趋势，这在一定程度上稳定了外贸企业的信心。商务部最近的调查显示，关键外贸企业连续四个月见证了新订单的改善，超过80%的广交会参展企业报告称订单量稳定或增加。
然而，何发言人也指出了一些挑战和风险，尤其是一些国家采取的单边主义和保护主义做法，不仅提高了成本和风险，还扰乱了全球工业和供应链。
面对这些不确定性，中国致力于推动高水平开放，并积极培育外贸的新动力。同时，我们将解决外贸企业面临的困难，协助企业降低成本，提高效率，增强国际竞争力。
