On August 19, the reporter learned from Chengdu Customs that Sichuan's total goods trade reached 582.52 billion yuan in the first seven months of the year, hitting a historic high for the same period and securing eighth place nationwide. This trade sector recorded a year-on-year increase of 12.1 percent, ranking tenth nationally in growth rate and outpacing the national average by 5.9 percentage points over the same timeframe. In particular, the mechanical and electrical products remained a cornerstone of Sichuan's foreign trade, with the Sichuan-made tablet exports leading the nation. Additionally, various other goods from Sichuan also topped the country's export rankings.

Data from Chengdu Customs indicates that in the first seven months of this year, Sichuan's goods exports reached a total of 342.45 billion yuan, a 3.3 percent increase year-on-year; meanwhile, its imports amounted to 240.07 billion yuan, a 27.6 percent increase year-on-year, highlighting a continuous improvement in the foreign trade structure. Significantly, Sichuan's total import and export value in July alone reached 91.81 billion yuan, setting a record high for the same period in history. This marks a year-on-year increase of 32.9 percent, positioning the province fourth in the national ranking and representing the highest growth rate in 32 months. Within this, exports totaled 50.46 billion yuan, reflecting a 20.9 percent year-on-year growth; imports stood at 41.35 billion yuan, marking a milestone as the monthly import value surpassed 40 billion yuan for the first time, registering a 51.4 percent year-on-year increase.

"Mechanical and electrical products have been the key drivers of Sichuan's rapid foreign trade growth in the first seven months," stated a leading official of the Statistics and Analysis Department at Chengdu Customs. During these seven months, Sichuan's exports of mechanical and electrical products reached 251.62 billion yuan, accounting for 73.5 percent of the total export value of Sichuan's foreign trade for the same period, marking a 2.6 percentage points increase from the previous year, according to the official. In the specific export portfolio, the products with a competitive edge are leading in export scale across the country. Tablet computer export ranks first nationwide, while laptops, liquid crystal televisions, watt-hour meters, and projectors all rank third in their respective categories. Furthermore, steel rails and fish oil top the national export lists in their categories, and exports of titanium dioxide, lithium hydroxide, and lemons are all ranked second nationwide.

In the import sector, mechanical and electrical products are also the cornerstone. In the first seven months of this year, Sichuan's imports in this category totaled 187.27 billion yuan, marking a significant 44.6 percent year-on-year growth and accounting for 78 percent of the province's total import value over the same period. Notably, integrated circuits were imported at a value of 123.11 billion yuan, a 36.3 percent increase year-on-year, while the imports of computers and their components reached 16.3 billion yuan, a 1.4 times growth year-on-year. Moreover, Sichuan's imports of bulk commodities and consumer goods have seen substantial growth.

Industry analysts spotlight the electronic information industry's performance in Sichuan's foreign trade arena. As one of Sichuan's six key competitive industries and its first sector to achieve a trillion-level status, the industry plays a vital role in the export and import of mechanical and electrical products across the entire chain, significantly impacting market dynamics and other economic aspects. Mechanical and electrical products have long been a pivotal element in Sichuan's strategy to stabilize foreign trade. This year, as global industries in related sectors gain momentum and Sichuan's targeted policies for stabilizing foreign trade continue to yield positive results, these products have become even more prominent in driving economic growth.

In the first seven months of the year, the ASEAN, the United States, and the European Union solidified their positions as Sichuan's top three trade partners. Their respective total import and export values with Sichuan reached 126.7 billion yuan, 108.37 billion yuan, and 92.59 billion yuan, registering year-on-year growths of 35.6 percent, 28.3 percent, and 24.5 percent. Collectively, these three partners accounted for 56.2 percent of Sichuan's total foreign trade value during the same period, an increase of 7.7 percentage points. Concurrently, Sichuan's trade with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative reached 258.43 billion yuan, reflecting a robust 18.3 percent year-on-year increase.

Furthermore, the role of private enterprises has been significantly amplified. Data reveals that in the first seven months, the number of Sichuan's foreign trade entities with actual import and export activities rose by 12.3 percent year-on-year. Notably, private enterprises comprised nearly 90 percent of these entities, with a 14.8 percent year-on-year increase in their numbers. These entities' combined imports and exports amounted to 249.86 billion yuan, marking a 6 percent year-on-year growth, which constitutes 42.9 percent of Sichuan's total foreign trade imports and exports during the same period. During the first seven months, foreign-invested enterprises in Sichuan achieved a significant milestone in foreign trade. Their import and export value reached 294.15 billion yuan, marking a strong 21.7 percent year-on-year increase, accounting for 50.5 percent of Sichuan's total foreign trade import and export value over the same period.

"Chengdu has seen a significant rebound in its foreign trade, with the city's core role continuing to shine," as highlighted by Pan Xudong. Pan introduced, in the first seven months, Chengdu's import and export value reached 468.89 billion, a 12.5 percent year-on-year growth, which outpaced the provincial average by 0.4 percentage points. Chengdu contributed a remarkable 82.9 percent to Sichuan's overall foreign trade growth during the same period. Meanwhile, Mianyang, Luzhou, and Deyang cities also reported double-digit growth in their import and export values, each exceeding 10 billion yuan, indicating their positive development trend in Sichuan's foreign trade landscape.