Guangdong's foreign trade reached a record 5.49 trillion yuan in the first half of 2026, exceeding 5 trillion yuan for the first time during the same period. Total imports and exports increased 20.8% year on year, accounting for 21.6% of the national total, the highest among all provinces. Exports totaled 3.22 trillion yuan, up 11.6%, while imports surged 36.8% to 2.27 trillion yuan.
The province set new monthly trade records three times in April, May, and June. In June alone, imports and exports totaled 1.05 trillion yuan, marking the first time Guangdong's monthly trade volume surpassed 1 trillion yuan, and representing a year-on-year growth of 30.3%.
Imports surged 59.1% in June, marking the fastest monthly growth in nearly a decade. Rising demand from emerging industries and new business models boosted imports of computer components, integrated circuits, and aircraft parts, which rose by 63.9%, 48.2%, and 38.7%, respectively.
In the first six months, 174,000 enterprises in Guangdong engaged in foreign trade activities, an increase of 44,000 year-on-year. Among them, 153,000 private enterprises generated 3.69 trillion yuan in trade, representing a 26.7% year-on-year increase. Foreign-invested enterprises recorded 1.62 trillion yuan in imports and exports, a 14.5% increase, marking their 10th consecutive quarter of growth.
Guangdong traded with 252 countries and regions during the period. Trade with emerging markets remained strong, with imports and exports totaling 857.42 billion yuan with ASEAN, an increase of 13.3%, and 277.35 billion yuan with Latin America, up 4.5%. Trade with traditional markets also expanded, reaching 579.93 billion yuan with the European Union, 487.48 billion yuan with the United States, and 307.02 billion yuan with South Korea, representing year-on-year growth of 6.9%, 3.8%, and 40.3%, respectively. Following the implementation of China's zero-tariff policy for products from 53 African countries, Guangdong's trade with Africa hit a record high of 178.44 billion yuan, an increase of 23.3%.
Exports of mechanical and electrical products totaled 2.27 trillion yuan, up 16%, accounting for more than 70% of the province's total exports. High-end manufacturing continued to demonstrate strong global competitiveness, with exports of drones, high-end machine tools, and industrial robots increasing by 24.6%, 20.1%, and 16.8%, respectively.
Guangdong's AI industry now accounts for approximately one-quarter of China's total, making AI an increasingly important driver of foreign trade growth. In Shenzhen, imports and exports of AI-related products surpassed 1 trillion yuan in the first half of the year, representing a year-on-year increase of more than 50%.
Consumer goods, such as appliances and sports equipment, also performed strongly in overseas markets. In Guangzhou, consumer goods exports increased by 24.2% in the first half of the year, with the European heatwave boosting air conditioner exports to 3.6 billion yuan. In Dongguan, the number of export markets for sporting goods expanded from 95 to 135, with exports to the EU rising by 17.9% and those to ASEAN surging by 72.8%.
Reporter | Dai Bosi
Photo | Guangdong Sub-administration of GACC
