Guangdong's total imports and exports reached 8.72 trillion yuan in the first three quarters of 2026, up 24.5 percent year on year. Exports rose 14.2 percent to 5.11 trillion yuan, while imports surged 42.5 percent to 3.61 trillion yuan.
In September alone, the province's foreign trade reached a monthly record of 1.18 trillion yuan, up 45.7 percent year on year. This was the largest monthly growth rate in nearly five years.
Guangdong's foreign trade growth accelerated quarter by quarter, with imports and exports rising 19.3 percent in the first quarter, 22 percent in the second and 31.3 percent in the third. The province has recorded year-on-year growth for 13 consecutive quarters. Its trade volume exceeded 3 trillion yuan for the first time in the third quarter, setting a new record.
Guangdong recorded trade growth with more than 160 countries and regions in the first three quarters. Trade with other APEC economies rose 26.4 percent to 5.74 trillion yuan. Trade with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative reached 3.2 trillion yuan, up 18.2 percent, accounting for 36.7 percent of the province's total foreign trade.
Trade with emerging markets also expanded, increasing 20.2 percent with ASEAN, 23.4 percent with Africa and 6.7 percent with Latin America. Trade with the European Union and South Korea grew 5.6 percent and 49.3 percent, respectively. Trade with the United States rose 11 percent, marking six consecutive months of growth since April.
The structure of foreign trade continued to improve. Exports of high-tech products reached 1.1 trillion yuan, up 33 percent year on year. Exports of specialized equipment, integrated circuits and computer components rose 34.4 percent, 58.6 percent and 32.9 percent, respectively. Lithium battery exports increased 38.4 percent, while electric vehicle exports grew 25.5 percent.
Imports also maintained strong growth. Imports of integrated circuits and computer components rose 53.4 percent and 120 percent, respectively. Import volumes of iron ore, copper ore and copper increased 16.2 percent, 91.8 percent and 4.4 percent, respectively. Import growth outpaced export growth by 28.3 percentage points, pointing to a more balanced trade mix.
The number of companies in Guangdong with recorded import and export activity reached 198,000 in the first three quarters, up 34.9 percent.
Private enterprises remained the main driver of foreign trade, with imports and exports rising 32.7 percent to 5.92 trillion yuan. They accounted for more than 80 percent of the increase in total trade, while their share of the province's foreign trade rose by 4.2 percentage points to 67.9 percent. The number of foreign-invested companies with recorded import and export activity increased by more than 800, while their total trade rose 13.9 percent to 2.54 trillion yuan.
Integration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) continued to deepen. In the first three quarters, the nine mainland cities in the GBA recorded imports and exports of 8.42 trillion yuan, up 24.7 percent. Guangdong's 13 comprehensive bonded zones handled a combined 1.04 trillion yuan in imports and exports, an increase of 46.6 percent year on year.
Reporter | Dai Bosi
Photo | Guangdong Sub-Administration of GACC
