Guangxi forges global links with higher-level opening up

Guangxi has achieved remarkable progress in foreign trade through high-level opening-up since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). In the first ten months of 2025, the region's import and export value reached 650.35 billion yuan ($9.033 billion), up 12.1 percent year-on-year.

The total foreign trade volume rose from 593.06 billion yuan in 2021 to 756.39 billion yuan in 2024, with cumulative utilized foreign capital nearing $5 billion. Guangxi is engaging in the construction of a new development pattern by deepening opening-up, improving cross-border channel infrastructure, and cultivating new foreign trade formats to accelerate its integration into global industrial and supply chains.

The new western land-sea corridor demonstrated significant growth, with rail freight volume increasing 70.3 percent in the first three quarters, supported by streamlined customs services and infrastructure upgrades. Guangxi companies are expanding globally through major trade fairs, exporting products ranging from Yuchai engines to Liuzhou Motor EVs.

Cross-border e-commerce has become a major growth driver, with import-export value soaring from three billion yuan in 2020 to over 55 billion yuan in 2024. Its share in total foreign trade expanded from 0.7 percent to over seven percent.

Foreign-funded enterprises, while representing just 0.4 percent of market entities, contributed five percent of Guangxi's tax revenue, 9.3 percent of its foreign trade, and 13 percent of its industrial output. Meanwhile, Guangxi's overseas investments show strong ASEAN focus, with 91 overseas enterprises established in ASEAN countries, representing 49.2 percent of total outbound investment.

Handling operations at the Qinzhou automated container terminal, 2024. [Photo/Guangxi Daily]