Gansu's foreign trade surges 16.6% amid expanding Belt and Road ties

Gansu province recorded a strong start to its foreign trade performance in 2026, with total imports and exports reaching 14.53 billion yuan ($2.1 billion) in the first two months, up 16.6 percent year-on-year, according to Lanzhou Customs.

Exports showed solid growth, jumping 111.3 percent year-on-year to 3.64 billion yuan, reflecting improving momentum in the province's open economy.

Trade with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative remained a key growth engine. Gansu's trade with these markets totaled 10.01 billion yuan, accounting for 68.9 percent of its total foreign trade. Exports to those countries reached 1.52 billion yuan, up 56.1 percent. Trade with other members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership rose 18.1 percent to 4.62 billion yuan, of which Indonesia accounted for 2.69 billion yuan, up 16.3 percent.

State-owned enterprises remained the backbone of Gansu's foreign trade, contributing 9.53 billion yuan, or 65.6 percent of the total. Meanwhile, private enterprises emerged as a major growth driver, with trade volume soaring 126.8 percent to 4.89 billion yuan.