At a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on April 14, Lü Daliang, spokesperson for the General Administration of Customs and director of its Department of Statistical Analysis, announced China’s foreign trade data for the first quarter of 2025. According to the data, China’s total imports and exports with Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries reached 5.26 trillion yuan, marking a 2.2% year-on-year increase and setting a new record for the same period. After surpassing 50% of China’s total foreign trade for the first time last year, the share of trade with BRI countries rose further to 51.1% in the first quarter of this year.
Lü highlighted that both signature projects and “small yet impactful” initiatives tailored to local needs have strengthened trade ties with BRI countries. Intermediate goods accounted for 65.1% of total trade with these nations in Q1. Agricultural, health, and infrastructure cooperation also expanded significantly: China’s exports of pesticide formulations rose by 15.5%, agricultural machinery by 37.2%, while imports of poultry increased by 32.9%, and dried and fresh fruits by 8.5%. Additionally, exports of rail transit equipment, electric motors, and wind turbines to BRI countries surged by 10.7%, 17.4%, and 67.4% respectively, reflecting growing collaboration in high-tech and green infrastructure.