The total import and export volume of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region in 2021 went up by 21.8 percent to 593.06 billion yuan ($93.26 billion) in 2021, officials from Nanning customs announced on Feb 13. 

Guangxi's foreign trade growth rate was higher than the national average level in 2021 thanks to efforts devoted by the Nanning customs in coordinating the COVID-19 pandemic containment and stable foreign trade development. 

The Nanning international railway port was put into closed operation and the first China-Vietnam express train has been put into operation. 

The advanced equipment manufacturing industry welcomed more support in exporting their cargo abroad. Distinctive local delicacies such as Liuzhou river snail rice noodles and Liubao tea are encouraged to promote high-quality products overseas. 

Preferential policies for the high-quality development of Guangxi's foreign trade and for grasping opportunities brought by the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) were released to further optimize the local business environment. The overall import clearance time in Guangxi has ranked top in China among 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. 

Wang Weibing, head of Nanning Customs, put forward that the customs will pay more attention to deepening the international cooperation in customs clearance especially with ASEAN countries and more support will go into the construction of local opening-up platforms such as the China (Guangxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

Wang added that more measures will be released to help Guangxi better merge into national major strategies such as the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to achieve higher quality development.