Inner Mongolia vital to Belt and Road trade

Inner Mongolia autonomous region’s total volume of trade with countries along the Belt and Road reached 46.39 billion yuan ($6.99 billion) during the first three quarters of 2017, an increase of 35.2 percent compared with the same period last year, according to the latest figures from Hohhot customs on Nov 8.

The region’s imports of coal from countries along the Belt and Road reached 10.79 billion yuan, an increase of more than double.  

Since last January, Inner Mongolia has seen sustained growth in trade with countries along the Belt and Road, with Mongolia and Russia its major partners. The volume of the region’s trade with Mongolia reached 19.76 billion yuan, an increase of 50.5 percent, and the volume of the region’s trade with Russia reached 16.04 billion yuan, an increase of 20.2 percent.

In addition, Inner Mongolia also saw large increases in trade with countries including Iran, Vietnam, and India during the first three quarters of 2017.