The foreign trade of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region expanded 10.2% year on year to 207.04 billion yuan ($30 billion) in the first quarter of 2026, surpassing the 200 billion yuan mark for the first time in the same period, according to the Nanning Customs.

Exports totaled 122.18 billion yuan, while imports reached 84.86 billion yuan, up 35.8% year on year and marking the fourth consecutive quarter of growth.

Data showed that Guangxi's trade with ASEAN stood at 100.77 billion yuan in the first quarter, accounting for 48.7% of its total foreign trade, with ASEAN remaining its largest trading partner.

Over the same period, the region's trade with Latin America, Africa and the Middle East reached 32.73 billion yuan, 15.13 billion yuan and 14.42 billion yuan, respectively, up 64.5%, 16.8% and 46.5%.

Trade with the European Union totaled 9.43 billion yuan, up 47%, with trade with Germany, Spain and Bulgaria all doubling.

In the first quarter, Guangxi's exports of mechanical and electrical products rose 11.7% year on year to 77.01 billion yuan, accounting for 63% of its total exports.

Emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, consumer electronics and green trade played a strong role in driving growth. Exports of LCD panels, computer components and copper products posted notable increases.

Exports of green products, or the "new three" – electric vehicles (EVs), lithium-ion batteries, and photovoltaic products – reached 10.46 billion yuan, surging 202%, with lithium batteries and EVs up 185.2% and 277.3%, respectively.

On the import side, energy and resource products, as well as consumer goods, provided solid support.

Guangxi imported 17.256 million tonnes of bulk commodities worth 51.94 billion yuan in the first quarter, accounting for 61.2% of total imports, ensuring supply for key industries such as non-ferrous metals and green chemicals.

Driven by the Spring Festival holiday, imports of consumer goods rose 12.4% year on year to 3.64 billion yuan, with market supply continuing to expand.