According to the Changsha Customs data released on September 13, between this January and August, Hunan’s import and export trade with African countries achieved 24.87 billion CNY, making a year-on-year increase of 43.7%. The China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE) is permanently held in Hunan, and Hunan has stepped up and expanded Africa-oriented logistics channels. The Hunan-Africa trade has accelerated.

South Africa, Nigeria, and Egypt were the three major partners in the first eight months. Hunan’s trade with South Africa reached 10.93 billion CNY, taking up 40% of that with the whole Africa.

Mechanical and electrical products were Hunan’s major goods exported to Africa, taking up more than 30% of the total export value. Hi-tech product export increased by 79.6% year on year. The major imported products include metal ores and ore sand.

China-Africa cross-border commercial platforms are flourishing, while Hunan-Africa trade shows a new look. From January to August, Hunan had completed 220 million CNY of export orders for Africa, based on the new business pattern of cross-border e-commerce. In the light of the barter trade agreement with South Africa, the first barter trade of South African red pomelo had been completed successfully.

As the permanent host of CAETE, Hunan Province is striving to build a demonstration park for promoting China-Africa economic and trade cooperation. As planned, more than 200 enterprises will be introduced this year, with a total value of imports and exports hitting 15 billion CNY. The second CAETE will open on September 26, which has attracted 385 collaboration projects with a total amount of 59.46 billion USD.

Hunan is expanding Africa-oriented logistics channels. A Hunan-Guangdong-Africa railway-marine combined transport channel, a Hunan-Shanghai-Africa river-sea combined transport channel, and Hunan-Africa air freight routes, are under construction. The first Hunan-Gangdong-Africa railway-marine combined freight train will be launched in mid-September. More logistics options will be provided to facilitate Africa-oriented trade.

Supported by the Changsha Customs, the entry process of the agricultural products from African countries has sped up. The first dried chili product import from Africa to China has been completed. Some other products, including mutton from Madagascar, beef from Uganda, donkey meat from Kenya, aquatic products from Nigeria, and peanuts from Gambia, have gotten through preliminary import assessments. 

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Pang Yuehui 

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn