The Changsha Customs Authority recently announced that in the first eight months of this year, Hunan Province's trade with ASEAN reached 66.64 billion CNY, marking a 15.7% increase compared to the same period last year. Exports totaled 42.66 billion CNY, up 18.4%, while imports amounted to 23.98 billion CNY, rising 11.2%.

From January to August, Hunan's trade with seven ASEAN countries maintained positive growth, with Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam accounting for the top three positions. The province's trade with Malaysia reached 17.31 billion CNY, up 8.2%, accounting for 26% of the province's total. Trade with Indonesia amounted to 14.87 billion CNY, surging 37.9%. Trade with Vietnam totaled 14.69 billion CNY, rising 35.9%. During the same period, trade with Myanmar, Brunei, and Laos increased by 50.4%, 16.1%, and 15.7%, respectively.

In the first eight months, Changsha's import and export volume with ASEAN reached 34.36 billion CNY, an increase of 16.9%, accounting for more than 50% of the province's total. Yueyang, Shaoyang, Huaihua, and Changde recorded trade value of 13.12 billion CNY, 2.45 billion CNY, 2.22 billion CNY, and 1.78 billion CNY with ASEAN countries respectively, representing growth rates of 49.3%, 27.8%, 21.8%, and 34.5%, respectively. Although Zhangjiajie City and Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture had relatively small trade volumes, they led the province in growth rates, increasing by 226.3% and 124.2%, respectively.

Imports were dominated by bulk commodities, with rapid growth in crude oil, natural and synthetic rubber, and agricultural products. Exports were led by mechanical and electrical products, with outstanding performance made in exports of the "new three" products—solar batteries, lithium-ion batteries, and electric vehicles; automobiles (including chassis); and, steel products. During the January-August period, Hunan's exports of mechanical and electrical products to ASEAN reached 27.01 billion CNY, marking a 40.1% increase; while the province's exports of the "new three" products reached 3.9 billion CNY, surging by 506%.

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

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: China National Radio