Henan’s foreign trade increasingly resilient: Foreign trade value hits 820 billion in 2024

Henan Daily

Zhengzhou: In 2024, the total import and export value of foreign trade in Central China’s Henan province reached 820.17 billion yuan, ranking among the top 10 nationwide for five consecutive years, with a year-on-year increase of 1.2 percent, reflecting resilience and momentum for sustained development, according to Zhengzhou Customs on January 16.

In the face of a complex and ever-changing external environment, Henan has implemented a series of measures to solidify the foundation of foreign trade, driving its growth on an upward trajectory despite the challenges. In the second half of last year, Henan’s import and export sector continued to recover, recording year-on-year growth for six consecutive months. By November, the growth rate turned positive for the first time. Especially in December, Henan’s foreign trade reached 80.03 billion yuan, growing by 7.7 percent, surpassing the national growth rate by 0.9 percentage points. Of this, exports totaled 54.48 billion yuan, up by 8.3 percent, while imports reached 25.55 billion yuan, growing by 6.5 percent, achieving growth in both exports and imports.

In terms of the trade market, Henan’s “friend circle” continues to expand, with increasingly diverse trading partners. Last year, Henan’s import and export with ASEAN totaled 109.15 billion yuan, growing by 1.7 percent; with the EU, it reached 106.63 billion yuan, up by 13.3 percent; with Africa, it amounted to 30.83 billion yuan, increasing by 20.1 percent; and with both Australia and Peru, imports and exports saw growth. In addition, the import and export with countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative totaled 383.87 billion yuan, growing by 3.6 percent, exceeding the overall growth rate of the province.