Trade Network Expands to Over 230 Countries and Regions as “Made in Hunan” Gains Global Popularity

A press conference on Hunan Province’s imports and exports for the first half of 2026 was held in Changsha on July 17. Changsha Customs announced at the event that Hunan’s foreign trade reached 295.81 billion CNY in the first half of the year, representing a 12.7 percent year-on-year (YoY) increase. Of this total, exports stood at 168.67 billion CNY, up 5.2 percent, while imports rose 24.3 percent to 127.14 billion CNY.

Since December 2025, Hunan’s foreign trade has grown for seven consecutive months. The first half of this year also saw the largest half-year trade volume in the past three years.

In the first half of the year, exports of high-end equipment, closely related to new quality productive forces, reached 9.76 billion CNY, up 17.5 percent YoY. Exports of green, low-carbon “new three” products totaled 11.98 billion CNY, up 35.5 percent. In June alone, exports of the “new three” products reached 3.2 billion CNY, surpassing the 3 billion CNY threshold in a single month for the first time and hitting a historic high.

“From power banks to electric buses, Hunan-made products have gained wide recognition in overseas markets,” said Lan Shengbin, Deputy Director of Changsha Customs. In the first half of the year, Hunan exported 6.99 billion CNY worth of electric vehicles, up 27.3 percent YoY; 4.36 billion CNY worth of lithium-ion batteries, up 43.2 percent; and 630 million CNY worth of photovoltaic products , up 105.3 percent.

Solid production fundamentals underpin the robust market performance. During the first half, Hunan’s “new three” products were exported to 152 countries and regions. Exports to traditional markets increased by 31.8 percent, while exports to emerging markets such as ASEAN and Brazil recorded double-digit growth. Exports to Africa surged by 97.4 percent.

Hunan’s network of global trading partners continued to expand since the start of 2026. In the first half, the province maintained trade ties with more than 230 countries and regions. Of these, 32 partners saw bilateral trade surpass 2 billion CNY, and nearly 40 percent of Hunan’s trading partners posted double-digit bilateral trade growth.

According to Changsha Customs, Hunan’s trade with traditional markets, including Hong Kong SAR of China, the European Union, and the United States, grew by 13.9 percent, 24.5 percent, and 3.4 percent, respectively. Trade with emerging markets such as ASEAN, Latin America, and Russia increased by 18.7 percent, 27.5 percent, and 45.3 percent, respectively. Trade with partner countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) reached 174.35 billion CNY, up 13 percent YoY, while trade with Africa stood at 26.63 billion CNY. Hunan now maintains economic and trade relations with all Belt and Road partner countries and all member states of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), truly achieving a vision of “buying from and selling to the world.”

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.