Qingdao's posts 6.1% foreign trade growth in Q1
China DailyUploaded containers are seen at Qingdao Port in Shandong province on Jan 9, 2023. According to statistics from Qingdao Customs, the city's imports and exports increased 6.1 percent year-on-year and reached 207.54 billion yuan in the first quarter of 2023. Over this period, the imports and exports of private enterprises in Qingdao posted a growth of 15.5 percent, reaching 148.49 billion yuan, which accounted for 71.5 percent of the city's total. Qingdao's trade with RCEP member states reached 77.82 billion yuan, up 4.9 percent, while its trade with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative hit 73.62 billion yuan, up 23.8 percent. In the first quarter, Qingdao exported 56.94 billion yuan worth of mechanical and electrical products, an increase of 9 percent, which accounted for 48.3 percent of the city's total export value.