Hubei’s total imports and exportsreached 406.85 billion yuan in the first eight months of this year, basically flat yearonyear, according to data released by Wuhan Customs on September 15, 2023.

Out of total, the exportsamounted to 277.67 billion yuan, whilethe importsstood at 129.18 billion yuan.

In the first eight months of 2023,Hubei’strade withcountriesinvolved with the Belt and Road Initiative totaled 198.02 billion yuan, an increase of 10.8 percent. And the trade withASEAN and EU rose 9.7 percent and 4.6 percent to hit 68.68 billion yuan and 52.44 billion yuan, respectively.

Hubei’s importsand exportsof general trade maintained growth during the same period, accounting for 77.3 percent of the province’stotal foreign trade value with 314.63 billion yuan, 2.1 percentage points higheryear on year.

In the eight months, private enterprisesmade up nearly 70 percent of the province’s total imports and exports with 274.85 billion yuan, a year-on-year rise of 5.1 percentage points.

During the same period, Hubei exported 138.21 billion yuanof mechanical and electrical products, a year-on-year increase of 1.9 percentage points and a proportion ofnearly 50 percent of the province's total exports.And 76.63 billion yuan ofindustrial productswere imported in the eight months, contributing to nearly 60 percent of the province’s total imports. (en.hubei.gov.cn by Ruan Xinqi)