In December, 2018, Taiyuan's total value of export and import trade reached 7.65 billion yuan ($1.14 billion), decreasing by 9.9 percent compared to the same period last year, and decreasing by 12.8 percent compared to November.

The total value of export was 5.01 billion yuan, with an increase of 2.2 percent year on year, and decline of 13.5 percent; the import was 2.63 billion yuan, decreasing by 26.5 percent, 11.3 percent compared to December, 2017 and November, 2018.

The import and export of trade in 2018 reached 108.63 billion yuan, with an increase of 18.7 percent, while the growth rate ranked the 7th in Shanxi province, 8.8 percentage points higher than nationwide average growth rate, 1.5 percentage points lower than Shanxi's, accounting for 79.3 percent of Shanxi's total import and export value. It has achieved 115.5 percent of its set out target.

The import trade was 66.32 billion yuan, increasing by 15.9 percent from 2017, the growth rate ranked 6th in Shanxi, 8.8 percentage points higher than nationwide average growth rate, 1.5 percentage points lower than Shanxi's, taking up 81.8 percent of total export value in Shanxi. It has achieved 112.4 percent of its set out target.

The import trade value was 42.30 billion yuan, increasing by 23.3 percent from 2017, the growth rate ranked 6th in Shanxi, 10.4 percentage points higher than nationwide average growth rate, 4.9 percentage points lower than Shanxi's, taking up 75.6 percent of total export value in Shanxi. It has achieved 120.8 percent of its set out target.

Foreign trade features in Taiyuan

1. The growth rates of import and export trade have maintained growth, and import trade has played an important factor in the growth of foreign trade.

2. The processing trade has been the major factor of foreign trade.

The import and export trade value of processing trade in 2018 has reached 91.33 billion yuan, increasing by 15.9 percent compared to 2017, accounting for 84.1 percent of Taiyuan's foreign trade, with 2 percentage points decline year on year. The processing trade has exported 56.63 billion yuan, increasing by 13.9 percent, taking up 85.4 percent of total export value in Taiyuan, with a decline of 1.5 percentage points compared to 2017; the import value has reached 34.70 billion yuan, increasing by 19.4 percent, accounting for 82 percent of total import value in Taiyuan, reducing by 2.7 percentage points compared to 2017.

The general trade of Taiyuan has imported and exported 15.82 billion yuan, increasing by 30 percent, accounting for 14.6 of total amount of foreign trade in Taiyuan, with an increase of 1.3 percentage points year on year. The export trade has reached 8.72 billion yuan, increasing by 18.8 percent compared to 2017, taking up 13.1 percent of total export value, with an increase of 0.3 percentage points compared to 2017; the imported value has reached 71 billion yuan, increasing by 46.9 percent, accounting for 16.8 percent, with an increase of 2.7 percentage points year on year.

In 2018, the import of goods reached 901.71 million yuan, increasing by 869.4 percent, bonded export and import has reached 9.66 million, up 120.9 percent.

3. Foreign-funded enterprises still maintained an important status in foreign trade.

In 2018, the import and export trade of state-owned enterprises reached 27.14 billion yuan, increasing by 24.3 percent compared to 2017, accounting for 25 percent of total amount of foreign trade in Taiyuan, with an increase of 1.1 percentage points. The export trade was 13.58 billion yuan, increasing by 1 percent, taking up 20.5 percent of total export amount in Taiyuan, with a decline of 3 percentage points year on year; the import value was 13.56 billion yuan, increasing by 61.6 percent, taking up 32.1 percent of import amount in Taiyuan, up 7.6 percentage points.

The import and export of foreign-funded enterprise was 75.34 billion yuan, increasing by 17.6 percent, increasing by 17.6 percent, accounting for 69.4 percent of total amount in Taiyuan, with a decline of 0.7 percentage points of that in 2017. The export was 47.69 billion yuan, increasing by 20.8 percent compared in 2017, taking up 71.9 percent of foreign trade in Taiyuan, up 2.9 percentage points of that in 2017. The import was 27.65 billion yuan, increasing by 12.4 percent, accounting for 65.4 percent of total amount in Taiyuan, with a decline of 6.3 percentage points of that in 2017.

The import and export trade of private enterprises has reached 61.47 billion yuan, increasing by 9.9 percent compared to 2017, accounting for 5.7 percent of total amount in Taiyuan, with a decline of 0.5 percentage points of that in 2017. The export was 50.59 billion yuan, increasing by 18.2 percent, taking up 7.6 percent of total amount, up 0.1 percentage points. The import was 10.88 billion yuan, reducing by 17.1 percent, accounting for 2.6 percent than that in 2017, with a decline of 1.2 percentage points in 2017.

4. The structure of goods was continuously optimized. Positive progress was made in the export of mechanical and electrical and high-tech products.

In 2018, the trade of mechanical and electrical products was 79.42 billion yuan, increasing by 17.4 percent compared to 2017, accounting for 73.1 percent of total amount in Taiyuan, with a decline of 0.8 percentage points of that in 2017. The export was 51.26 billion yuan, increasing by 21.7 percent compared in 2017, taking up 77.3 percent of foreign trade in Taiyuan, up 3.7 percentage points of that in 2017. The import was 28.16 billion yuan, increasing by 10.5 percent, accounting for 66.6 percent of total amount in Taiyuan, with a decline of 7.7 percentage points of that in 2017.

The import and export trade of high-tech products has reached 75.45 billion yuan, increasing by 17.2 percent compared to 2017, accounting for 66.7 percent of total amount of foreign trade in Taiyuan, with a decline of 0.8 percentage points. The export trade was 47.82 billion yuan, increasing by 21.6 percent, taking up 72.1 percent of total export amount in Taiyuan, with a decline of 3.4 percentage points year on year; the import value was 24.63 billion yuan, increasing by 9.6 percent, taking up 58.2 percent of import amount in Taiyuan, up 7.3 percentage points.

The export of steel, coke, coal and metal magnesium was 12.64 billion yuan, reducing by 2.1 percent of that in 2017, accounting for 19.1 percent of total amount in Taiyuan, with a decline of 3.5 percentage points. 1.12 tons of steel has been exported with 12.17 billion yuan, with a decline of 1.5 percentage points, 1.4 percentage points respectively; 19.67 tons metal magnesium has been exported with 361.44 million yuan, with a decline of 24.7 percentage points, 13.7 percentage points respectively; the coal has exported 39.26 tons, valued 102.3 billion yuan, reducing by 22.1 percent, 3 percent respectively; 7.24 tons coal has been exported, valuing 11.32 million yuan, reducing by 75.7 percent, 70.6 percent respectively.

5. The international market of foreign trade was generally enlarged, and the scale of import and export in emerging market economics and developing markets continued to expand.

The trade value between Taiyuan and Asia, Africa, Latin America, North America and Oceania was 49.83 billion yuan, 2.75 billion yuan, 21.47 billion yuan, 6.03 billion yuan, 24.55 billion yuan, 4 billion yuan respectively, increasing by 12.1 percent, 71.7 percent, -8.8 percent, 60.4 percent, 61.5 percent and 35 percent, accounting for 45.9 percent, 2.5 percent, 19.8 percent, 5.5 percent, 22.6 percent and 3.7 percent of total amount of trade.

China's top five trade markets were the United States, Taiwan, Netherlands, Korea and Japan, with the total value of trade 53.38 billion yuan, taking up 49.1 percent of total amount of foreign trade.

The trade value between European Union and Taiyuan has reduced to 18.07 billion yuan, with a decline of 9.1 percent. The export was 16.45 billion yuan, decreasing by 9.3 percent compared to that in 2017; the import was 1.62 billion yuan, with a decline of 7.2 percent. Taiyuan has exported and imported from Japan has reached 5.13 billion yuan, decreasing by 11.2 percent compared to the same period in 2017. The export was 2.99 billion yuan, with a decline of 2.2 percent of that in 2017; the import was 21.43 billion yuan, reducing by 21.4 percent. To North America, the trade value was 24.55 billion yuan, increasing by 61.5 percent. The export value was 23.88 billion yuan, up 60.5 percent of that in 2017; the import was 669.71 billion yuan, with an increase of 111.7 percent year on year.

The trade between countries along the Belt and Road and emerging market economics showed gradual growth. The trade value between countries along the Belt and Road was 23.54 billion yuan, increasing by 30.2 percent; the foreign trade with emerging market economics was 26.70 billion yuan, with an increase of 40.8 percent. 

6. Minority enterprises were the main force of foreign trade.

There were 693 enterprises contributed to foreign trade of Taiyuan. The total trade value of Foxconn Precision Electronics (Taiyuan), Shanxi Taigang Stainless Steel, Hongfujin Precision Industry (Taiyuan), Taiyuan Iron&Steel (Group), Zhiqi Railway Equipment, China Chemical Engineering Second Construction Corporation and Shanxi Coal IMP.&EXP Group was 103.72 billion yuan, accounting for 95.5 percent.

7. The trade of enterprises involved in 123 projects was declined. 

In 2018, the trade value 30 enterprises involved in 123 projects was 2.54 billion yuan, decreasing by 16 percent, accounting for 2.3 percent. The export was 2.40 billion yuan, with a decline of 11.6 percent of that in 2017, taking up 3.6 percent of total amount in Taiyuan; the import was 147.28 billion yuan, decreasing by 53.6 percent accounting for 0.3 percent of total amount.