The reporter learned from Yichang Customs on October 27 that in the first three quarters of 2019, the total import and export value of Yichang was 15.62 billion yuan, an increase of 5.1% over the same period of last year, and the trade surplus was 11.88 billion yuan, an increase of 12.2%.

　　The general mode of trade is still dominant. In the first three quarters, the import and export value of general trade mode of Yichang reached 12.55 billion yuan, an increase of 9.1%, accounting for 80.3% of the total foreign trade value in the same period of Yichang. In addition, the import and export value of processing trade was 2.68 billion yuan, down 12.3%; the import and export of bonded logistics was 390 million yuan, up 36.4%.

　　The effect of market development was further enhanced. In the first three quarters, the import and export value of Yichang to ASEAN and EU, the two largest trading partners, reached 2.68 billion yuan and 2.56 billion yuan respectively, an increase of 30.7% and 33.2% respectively. Over the same period, the total value of imports and exports to the United States was 1.99 billion yuan, up 2.2%; to India it was 1.6 billion yuan, down 12.4%; to Japan it was 1.04 billion yuan, up 5.1%.

　　The reporter learned that with the steady advancement of the “Belt and Road” construction, Yichang and the countries along the “road” are more active in foreign trade. In the first three quarters of 2019, the import and export value of Yichang to countries along the “Belt and Road” increased by 6.8 billion yuan, an increase of 6.1%, which was higher than the overall growth rate of national foreign trade by 3.3%. Market diversification has achieved remarkable results.

　　The foreign trade vitality of private enterprises has been continuously enhanced. In the first three quarters, the import and export value of private enterprises reached 9.25 billion yuan, an increase of 25.1%, accounting for 59.2% of the total foreign trade value of Yichang. Over the same period, the import and export value of state-owned enterprises reached 3.61 billion yuan, down 18%. In addition, the import and export value of foreign-invested enterprises reached 2.77 billion yuan, down 9.5%.

　　The advantageous industries of Yichang continued to make efforts, and the export of mechanical and electrical products and agricultural products grew at the same time. Mechanical and electrical products and agricultural products are still the commodities with the largest export volume in Yichang. The export of advantageous products in Yichang, such as chemical fertilizer and yeast, have maintained a positive growth. The export value of citrus and canned citrus fruits reached 140 million yuan, basically the same as last year. In addition, in the first three quarters, the export of traditional labor-intensive products in Yichang reached 1.15 billion yuan, an increase of 8.3%, with a sustained positive growth.

　　It is worth mentioning that beef in Yichang began to be imported from abroad in 2019. In the first three quarters, Yichang imported beef of 2.02 million yuan , but no beef was imported in the same period last year. (reporter: Pei Shujing; Correspondent: Lou Jingwen)