Canton Fair provides fresh perspective on resilience of China’s foreign trade

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By Hu Weijia (Global Times) 13:43, April 29, 2025

The transformation is evident in the data emerging from China's foreign trade in 2024. The country has witnessed an optimization and upgrade in the structure of its export products. Exports of mechanical and electrical products increased by 8.7 percent, raising their share of total exports by 0.9 percentage points to 59.4 percent. Furthermore, exports of high-end equipment grew by more than 40 percent. This signals that China is moving up the value chain, with an increasing number of high-tech products making their way to international markets.

China's manufacturing sector is undergoing a transformative upgrade, fueling the country's foreign trade resilience. With the advent of advanced technologies, traditional industries are evolving into smarter, more sustainable operations. Remarkably, China hosts 79 out of the 189 globally recognized "lighthouse factories," nearly half of which originate from these conventional sectors. This significant representation underscores China's swift transition toward an innovation-led manufacturing landscape.

In recent times, the surge in unilateralism and protectionism, marked by the wielding of "tariff sticks" by certain nations, has jolted the stability of global supply chains, casting a shadow of uncertainty over the world economy and international trade. This has inevitably posed challenges to China's foreign trade. However, the continuous upgrading of China's manufacturing industry, driven by relentless innovation, has enhanced the market competitiveness of made-in-China products. The increasing number of overseas buyers at the Canton Fair reflects the growing interest in made-in-China products, which in turn is improving the resilience and potential of China's foreign trade, even in the face of a complex and severe external environment.

The innovative strength of Chinese products, driven by advancements in intelligence and digitalization, is increasingly capturing the attention of international buyers. From everyday items like lawnmowers and coffee machines to high-tech offerings such as chips and industrial robots, products made in China are not just being exported worldwide - they are also integrating into the global industrial ecosystem. This integration is elevating the living standards of consumers abroad and enhancing the capabilities of international manufacturing sectors.

In the first quarter, China's total trade exceeded 10 trillion yuan ($1.37 trillion) for the eighth consecutive quarter, a new record high for the period. The resilience of China's foreign trade is supported by numerous factors, including the continuous development and constant upgrading of the entire Chinese manufacturing industry, which injects stability into China's foreign trade, especially in the face of rising international protectionism.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. bizopinion@globaltimes.com.cn

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