Hunan's import and export to Africa amounted to 30.53 billion CNY in the first seven months of this year. Among them, exports reached 16.03 billion CNY, while imports totaled 14.51 billion CNY, an increase of 90.3% from the same period last year, said the Changsha Customs authority.

General trade accounted for more than 90% of the total, and processing trade grew slightly. Hunan achieved 27.9 billion CNY of general foreign trade with Africa during the January-July period, accounting for 91.4% of the provincial total import and export value to Africa in the same period. Meanwhile, imports and exports in the form of processing trade reached 1.33 billion CNY, up 0.7% and accounting for 4.4% of the total.

Hunan's trade with South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo surged significantly. South Africa remained to be Hunan's largest trading partner in Africa. In the first seven months, the provincial imports and exports to South Africa grew by 36.7% to 10.7 billion CNY, accounting for 35.1% of the total. The foreign trade to the Democratic Republic of the Congo was 4.15 billion CNY, an increase of 96.6% and accounting for 13.6% of the total.

Private enterprises held the major position in trade with Africa. In the first seven months of the year, private enterprises in Hunan Province imported and exported 25.52 billion CNY of goods to Africa, accounting for 83.6% of the provincial total foreign trade value to Africa. The import and export value of state-owned enterprises and foreign-invested enterprises to Africa reached 3.64 billion CNY and 1.37 billion CNY, up 28% and 43.6% respectively.

Import of agricultural products increased notably. In the January-July period, Hunan Province imported 240 million CNY of agricultural products from Africa, an increase of 10.6%. Imports of aquatic products soared by 102.4% to 18.24 million CNY while those of dried and fresh fruits and nuts reached 42.18 million CNY, surging 31.6 times.

Exports to Africa were mainly electromechanical and labor-intensive products. Hunan Province exported 8.48 billion CNY of electromechanical products to Africa, accounting for 52.9% of the provincial total export value to Africa. The export value of labor-intensive products was 4.16 billion CNY, accounting for 25.9%. During the same period, exports of high-tech products climbed 31.2% to 2.04 billion CNY. Export of the "old three" products—cell phones, automatic data-processing equipment, and household appliances—rose 12% to 960 million CNY.

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

Translator: Yu Jiangjiang

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn