Despite epidemic, foreign trade rebounds in Inner Mongolia

Foreign trade is rebounding in North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region despite the lingering impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak, according to information released at an Aug 27 press conference by the government news office of Inner Mongolia.

Wang Jing, deputy head of Hohhot Customs, said that in the first seven months of this year, the import and export value of Inner Mongolia's foreign trade was 57.75 billion yuan ($8.27 billion), a decrease of 9.2 percent over the same period last year. 

The downward trend in foreign trade operations slowed down in July, and exports showed positive growth.

Under the epidemic situation, Hohhot Customs established a working group to promote the stable growth of foreign trade to support enterprises’ resumption of work and production and ensure the smooth operation of the foreign trade industry chain and supply chain.

Statistics show that Hohhot Customs has helped companies expand overseas markets. In the first seven months of 2020, the value of agricultural products and food exported from the customs area was 3.49 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 13.1 percent.

From January to July, customs handled 18 tariff guarantee insurance filings and issued three guarantees for local foreign trade enterprises, with a guaranteed amount of 395 million yuan.

Meanwhile, Hohhot Customs has boosted the green channel to promote rapid customs clearance for agricultural and sideline products traveling from Ereenhot in Inner Mongolia to Zamyn-Uud in the Republic of Mongolia.

In the first seven months of this year, fruit and vegetable exports from areas administrated by Hohhot Customs were 62,000 metric tons, with a total value of 70 million yuan, up 15.1 percent and 24 percent year-on-year, respectively.

From January to July, Ereenhot Port – the largest border checkpoint or land port in China open to neighboring Mongolia – inspected and released 1,230 trains running between China and destinations in Europe, a year-on-year increase of 45 percent. 

There are 41 China-Europe freight train routes that travel via Ereenhot Port, connecting 38 Chinese cities in 27 provinces and regions to European cities.