In the first quarter of 2026, China’s imports and exports with Belt and Road Initiative partner countries exceeded RMB 6 trillion. A multi-dimensional connectivity framework has effectively facilitated the smooth flow of goods.

　　On April 14, the State Council Information Office held a press conference to introduce the import and export situation for the first quarter of 2026. Lu Daliang, spokesperson for the General Administration of Customs and Director of the Department of Statistics and Analysis, stated that trade exchanges and industrial cooperation between China and countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative are smooth and close, with the scale of imports and exports accounting for more than half of overall foreign trade. In the first quarter of this year, China's imports and exports with participating countries exceeded 6 trillion yuan, an increase of 14.2%, with exports and imports growing by 15.1% and 13.2%, respectively.

　　Data shows that multidimensional connectivity effectively facilitates the smooth flow of goods. In the first quarter, China's imports and exports with participating countries via maritime transport reached 4.08 trillion yuan, an increase of 9.8%, accounting for nearly 70% of China's foreign trade with these countries. Imports and exports via road, air, and rail transport grew by 26.7%, 33.4%, and 23.8%, respectively. The New Land-Sea Corridor is operating efficiently, significantly enhancing regional logistics efficiency. In the first quarter, China's imports and exports with countries such as Peru and Colombia grew by over 20%, while the Zhengzhou-Luxembourg air logistics "dual hub" model has established an "airborne Silk Road" connecting China and Europe.

　　Wang Jun, Deputy Director of the General Administration of Customs, introduced that with the accelerated development of the New Western Land-Sea Corridor, the stable operation of China-Europe freight trains, and the expanding "airborne Silk Road," the central and western regions are achieving faster foreign trade growth. In the first quarter, imports and exports from the central and western regions via the New Western Land-Sea Corridor grew by 22.5%, with imports and exports via rail and air transport increasing by 21.5% and 23.9%, respectively. Meanwhile, China's border ports are expanding capacity and improving quality, and the construction of smart ports is accelerating. The central and western regions have become a frontier gateway to emerging markets, with imports and exports to neighboring countries exceeding 900 billion yuan in the first quarter, including double-digit growth in trade with countries such as Laos and Turkmenistan.