According to Changsha Customs, Hunan's total foreign trade value hit 194.38 billion CNY in the first four months of 2026, a year-on-year increase of 16.2 percent, indicating a steady rise and continuous structural optimization in foreign trade.

In the January-April period, Hunan's exports stood at 108.84 billion CNY, up 6 percent, while its imports stood at 85.54 billion CNY, up 32.4 percent. In April alone, Hunan's foreign trade stood at 50.1 billion CNY, up 14.8 percent. Of that, exports reached 28.12 billion CNY, up 5 percent, and imports reached 21.98 billion CNY, up 30.6 percent, sustaining a steady performance.

Hunan has made notable progress in diversifying its foreign trade markets, with both traditional and emerging markets registering robust growth. In the first four months, the province's trade with traditional markets including the United States, the Europe, Japan and the United Kingdom reached 56.86 billion CNY, up 21.4 percent, driving overall growth by 6 percent. Specifically, trade with Hong Kong (SAR of China) and the European Union grew by 28.4 percent and 32.6percent, respectively. During the same period, the province's trade with ASEAN and Latin America grew by 23 percent and 33.7 percent, respectively, and trade with Africa by 8.8 percent, reflecting a steady expansion of its global market presence.

Market entities continued to show vitality, with private enterprises playing a leading role. In the first four months, 7,434 enterprises in Hunan recorded actual import and export activities, a year-on-year increase of 20.7 percent, with the number of exporters rising even more sharply. Private enterprises recorded a total foreign trade value of 155.49 billion CNY, up 21.6 percent, accounting for 80 percent of the province's total and solidifying their role as the backbone of Hunan's foreign trade stability.

Hunan's foreign trade structure is rapidly shifting toward new technologies and smart manufacturing, driven by robust exports of high-tech products and the "New Trio"—electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and photovoltaic products. In the first four months, the province's exports of mechanical and electronic products reached 63.89 billion CNY, up 12.8 percent, accounting for 58.7 percent of total exports. Exports of electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and photovoltaic products ("New Trio") along with other high-tech products, all grew by more than 40 percent, underscoring a continued acceleration in the transformation and upgrading of Hunan's foreign trade. (Su Li) 

Disclaimer:

This is an English translation of the original Chinese version and is provided for reference only. In the event of any discrepancy, the Chinese version shall prevail.