According to statistics from Qingdao Customs, Qingdao’s imports and exports in the first three quarters of 2023 totaled RMB663.07bln, a year-on-year increase of 7.3%. Among the figure, exports amounted to RMB360.59bln, up 2.5%, and imports increased by 13.7% to RMB302.48bln.

In the first three quarters, Qingdao’s imports, exports and gross imports and exports all outperformed both the national and Shandong Province’s average levels. To be specific, its gross imports and exports growth outpaced the national and Shandong Province’s averages by 7.5 and 5.1 percentage points, respectively, its exports growth outpaced the national average by 1.9 percentage points and was in parity with the province’s average; its imports growth outpaced the national and Shandong Province’s averages by 14.9 and 11.2 percentage points, respectively.

The countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative have seen an increasing share in Qingdao’s imports and exports. In the first three quarters, Qingdao’s imports and exports concerning the countries and regions along the Belt and Road amounted to RMB345.12bln, a year-on-year increase of 8%, and representing 52% of the total, a jump of 0.3 percentage points. Additionally, Qingdao’s imports and exports with the ASEAN, the US, the EU and Japan saw an increase of 15.6%, 2.5%, 7.3% and 1.1%, respectively.  (Liu Lanxing)

Vehicles loaded with packing materials depart from Qingdao.