BRI fuels export growth in Fujian

The trade with the countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative has become a new exporting driver in Fujian province, local authorities said Monday.

The province has been actively involving in the national strategy in recent years by constructing itself into a key node along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which seems to be paying dividends.

Statistics from the Fujian Customs show that from January to February Fujian's exports to the BRI countries reached 38.31 billion yuan, a rise of 7.6 percent year-on-year.

The ASEAN member states were Fujian’s largest exporting destinations, which was followed by India, Russia, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Its exporting volume with ASEAN member states, over the period, registered 21.29 billion yuan ($3.15 billion), representing an increase of 10.3 percent year-on-year.

Meanwhile, its exports to Saudi Arabia witnesses biggest rise of 47 percent to stand at 1.33 billion yuan.

The exports to those countries are primarily labor-intensive products and mechanical and electrical products, which contributed more than 69 percent of total exports to the BRI countries from January to February.

Exports of six categories of labor-intensive products, including clothing, furniture, footwear, plastic products, bags and cases, and toys, totaled 13.73 billion yuan, up 0.5 percent year-on-year.

The figure for mechanical and electrical products reached 12.93 billion yuan, an increase of 13.6 percent.