On October 30, the Beijing Customs District released data on Beijing’s foreign trade performance during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Despite a complex global environment with intertwined challenges, Beijing’s foreign trade achieved positive growth. From 2021 to 2024, Beijing’s imports and exports grew at an average annual rate of 11.5%, outperforming the national average by 3.5 percentage points over the same period. In the first year of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Beijing’s imports and exports surpassed RMB 3 trillion for the first time, reaching RMB 3.04 trillion. In subsequent years, its annual import and export value remained above RMB 3 trillion, marking a new milestone in the city’s overall foreign trade performance.

Exports Poised to Hit New High This Year

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Beijing’s foreign trade recorded robust growth. Data show that in 2024, the city’s total imports and exports reached RMB 3.61 trillion, up 55.6% from 2020. From 2021 to 2024, the average annual growth rate stood at 11.5%. Imports rose from RMB 1.86 trillion in 2020 to RMB 3.0 trillion in 2024, posting an average annual growth rate of 12.6%. Exports successively surpassed the RMB 500 billion and RMB 600 billion thresholds, increasing from RMB 466.41 billion in 2020 to RMB 605.42 billion in 2024, with an average annual growth rate of 6.7%.

In the first three quarters of 2025, Beijing’s total foreign trade reached RMB 2.41 trillion and is expected to remain above RMB 3 trillion for the whole year. Exports totaled RMB 462.2 billion, and are poised to hit a new high by year-end.

Beijing’s pursuit of higher-quality, more open, dynamic, and sustainable foreign trade has been underpinned by the tangible outcomes of building platforms for opening up. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, both the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (BDA) and the Zhongguancun National Innovation Demonstration Zone hit new highs in annual import and export volumes. In 2024, the BDA’s total imports and exports reached RMB 203.93 billion, up 38.9% from 2020, with an average annual growth rate of 8.6%. The cumulative trade value in the Zhongguancun National Innovation Demonstration Zone surpassed RMB 1 trillion. New forms of foreign trade have gained momentum. In 2024, Beijing’s bonded logistics and cross-border e-commerce trade reached RMB 354.67 billion and RMB 4.91 billion, respectively, up 106.1% and 53.2% from 2020, with average annual growth rates of 19.8% and 11.2%, respectively.

Meanwhile, under the “two zones” initiative, a new framework for opening up characterized by “two airports and four comprehensive bonded zones”, has essentially taken shape. Leveraging their own advantages and the coordinated development with Tianzhu, Daxing, Zhongguancun, and Yizhuang comprehensive bonded zones, both Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport have seen record-high annual import and export volumes, exceeding RMB 700 billion and RMB 50 billion, respectively.

Advanced Manufacturing Highlights Innovation-Driven Momentum

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Beijing’s annual exports has grown steadily, largely fueled by the continuous momentum from its advanced manufacturing sector. Data show that exports of Beijing’s “new trio”, namely, electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and photovoltaic cells, along with automobiles, auto parts, integrated circuits, wind turbines, and LCD modules all reached record highs. In 2024, these products together accounted for 14.1% of total exports, up 6.6 percentage points from 7.5% in 2020, emerging as a new driver of export growth.

Exports from Beijing’s automotive manufacturing sector have set new records for three consecutive years. In 2024, exports of automobiles and auto parts each exceeded RMB 20 billion, registering an average annual growth of 45.1% and 25.8% compared with the 2020 level, and together making up 7.3% of the city’s total exports.

The new-generation information technology industry has reached new heights. In 2024, exports of integrated circuits and LCD modules totaled RMB 24.8 billion and RMB 6.34 billion, up 80.5% and 21.8% from 2020, with average annual growth rates of 15.9% and 5.1%, respectively.

The green and low-carbon industries are growing at a faster pace, as evidenced by the surging exports of the “new trio”. In 2024, the export value of these products reached RMB 7.03 billion, a 322.5% increase over 2020, and an average annual growth rate of 43.4%. Beijing’s wind turbine exports accounted for 35.2% of the national total, ranking first in the country, reaching RMB 2.99 billion in 2024—a 598% increase from 2020, or an average annual growth of 62.5%.

Regional Coordination Creates Synergies

The synergies arising from the coordinated development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region have also driven import and export growth.

In 2024, total imports and exports in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region hit RMB 5.03 trillion and surpassed the RMB 5 trillion mark, up 43.3% from 2020. The region’s share of China’s total foreign trade rose by 0.6 percentage points to 11.5%, with Beijing contributing 83.9% to the region’s overall trade growth.

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has seen rapid growth in its intelligent connected new energy vehicle industry cluster. In 2024, the region exported RMB 38.3 billion worth of electric vehicles (EVs), a surge of 58.7 times from 2020, raising its share of national EV exports by 8.4 percentage points to 11.3%. All three localities recorded substantial growth in EV exports.

In addition, the integrated development of the Beijing-Tianjin aerospace industry chain has gained strong momentum. Exports of aerospace equipment reached RMB 26.79 billion, up 222.7% from 2020, lifting its share of national exports in this category by 18.7 percentage points to 41.9%. Tianjin and Beijing recorded exports of RMB 14.83 billion and RMB 11.13 billion, respectively, with Tianjin leading in aircraft assembly and Beijing excelling in aircraft maintenance nationwide.

With improved trade security and facilitation, the number of Beijing’s foreign trade partners has continued to grow. In 2024, the city’s imports and exports with Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries reached RMB 2.12 trillion, up 61.6% from 2020, with an average annual growth rate of 12.7%. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Beijing has strengthened foreign trade cooperation with emerging markets, recording over 10% of average annual growth in trade with Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia.