Guangdong's total import and export volume reached 2.54 trillion yuan, up 19.4% year on year in the first quarter of 2026, marking the first time the province's quarterly trade has exceeded 2.5 trillion yuan and setting a new record high. Trade with nearly 180 countries and regions worldwide registered growth during the period.
Exports totaled 1.53 trillion yuan, up 14.3%, while imports rose 27.8% to 1.01 trillion yuan, surpassing the one-trillion-yuan mark for the first time in a single quarter. Guangdong's foreign trade has now recorded year-on-year growth for 11 consecutive quarters, ranking first nationwide in share, increment, and contribution.
Trade with major partners saw robust gains. Guangdong's imports and exports with the Hong Kong SAR (China), the European Union, South Korea, and the United Kingdom grew by 43.7%, 14.2%, 30%, and 25.9%, respectively. Trade with emerging markets also expanded steadily, rising 13% with ASEAN, 29.7% with Africa, 20.7% with India, 22.3% with Brazil, and 24.6% with Central Asian countries. Trade with Belt and Road partner countries increased by 14.8%.
Private enterprises in the province remained the main driving force, with imports and exports reaching 1.69 trillion yuan, up 25.5% and accounting for 66.6% of the total, an increase of 3.2 percentage points from a year earlier. Foreign-invested enterprises reached 759.87 billion yuan in trade, up 12.5%, making up 29.9% of the total.
Mechanical and electrical products accounted for 1.74 trillion yuan in trade, up 19.4%. Notably, exports of integrated circuits, lithium batteries, and ships surged by 63.4%, 65.5%, and 70.7%, respectively, while imports of integrated circuits and computers and components rose by 36.5% and 30.3%. Exports of 3D printers, drones, and digital cameras jumped 136.9%, 51.2%, and 60.2%, accounting for 88.2%, 93.1%, and 74.9% of the national totals, respectively.
Exports of self-owned brands continued to expand both in scale and share, rising 38% year on year in the first quarter and accounting for 26.6% of total exports.
Reporter | Dai Bosi
Photo | Guangdong Sub-administration of GACC
