Reporters learned from Yichang Customs on July 18 that in the first half of the year, the total value of imports and exports in Yichang City amounted to 9.29 billion yuan, an increase of 8.4% compared with the same period last year (the same below), which was 4.5 percentage points higher than the national average growth rate. The foreign trade structure of the city continues to be optimized.

　　Private Enterprises Occupy Half of Foreign Trade

　　In the first half of the year, Yichang's import and export value in the form of general trade reached 7.32 billion yuan, an increase of 17.3%, accounting for 78.8%, which is the main trade mode of the city. The total value by means of processing trade was 1.78 billion yuan, a decrease of 20.3%, accounting for 19.2%.

　　The private enterprises that occupy an important position in the city's foreign trade have shown considerable vitality and momentum. The reporter learned that in the first half of the year, among the top 20 enterprises in Yichang, private enterprises accounted for 9, state-owned enterprises accounted for 6 and foreign-invested enterprises accounted for 5.

　　Private enterprises not only expand their territory in foreign trade, but also take the lead in growth. From January to June, the total import and export value of private enterprises amounted to 4.96 billion yuan, an increase of 30.4%, accounting for 53.4%, of which exports amounted to 4.36 billion yuan, an increase of 35.3%, and imports amounted to 600 million yuan, an increase of 3.2%. Meanwhile, the total import and export value of state-owned enterprises was 2.44 billion yuan, down by 11.3% and the foreign-invested enterprises 1.89 billion yuan, down by 6.2%.

　　Indiaas the Largest Trading Partner

　　The total value of imports and exports of the countries along the Belt and Road continues to grow. In the first half of the year, India, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Germany, Brazil, Pakistan, Singapore, and Malaysia were the top ten trading partners of Yichang City, with a total bilateral trade value of 5.31 billion yuan. From January to June, Yichang’s total import and export value to India was 1.23 billion yuan, an increase of 38.8%. Taking Yichang's advantage commodity fertilizers as an example, the import and export value of fertilizers from Yichang to India in the first half of the year amounted to 930 million yuan, an increase of more than double. The United States remains Yichang's second largest trading partner. The total value of bilateral trade is 980 million yuan, of which exports account for 870 million yuan. Japan has jumped to be the third largest trading partner. The total import and export value of Yichang to Japan is 680 million yuan, an increase of 10.7%.

　　Exports of agricultural products show positive growth

　　The export of agricultural products plays an obvious role in promoting the export of foreign trade. In the first half of this year, Yichang exported 1.1 billion yuan of agricultural products, an increase of 18.2%. Among them, active ferment, green tea, canned goods and other commodities have maintained a positive double-digit growth. In addition, the export of salted hog casing was 110 million yuan, atwo-foldincrease, and the export of broad bean reached 60 million yuan, an increase by 1.1 times.

　　In the first half of the year, Yichang exported fertilizer of 1.84 billion yuan, an increase of 44.1%. Among them, diammonium hydrogen phosphate was still the export commodity of largest value, with an export value of 1.56 billion yuan, an increase of 69.8%. Exports of electromechanical products were 1.45 billion yuan, down by 2.5%, and high-tech products 880 million yuan, down by 10%, traditional labor-intensive products 430 million yuan, down by 2% respectively.

　　In terms of imports, Yichang imported mechanical and electrical products of 360 million yuan, an increase of 54.5%. Imported high-tech products reached 110 million yuan, an increase of 7.9%. In terms of individual commodities, sulphur is of the largest import value, with imports of 210 million yuan, down by 24.4%. (Full-media reporter of the Three Gorges Daily: Pei Shujing; Correspondent: Sun Furong)