Officially licensed FIFA World Cup products are displayed at a shop in the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, Jinhua, Zhejiang province, on June 10, 2026. [Photo/IC]

Zhejiang's imports and exports reached 2.38 trillion yuan ($352.20 billion) in the first five months of 2026, up 6.2 percent year-on-year.

Exports rose 6.0 percent to 1.79 trillion yuan, while imports increased 6.9 percent to 584.85 billion yuan. The three figures accounted for 11.5 percent, 15.0 percent, and 6.7 percent of the national totals, respectively.

The number of Zhejiang companies engaged in imports or exports reached 122,000, up 15.1 percent. Private companies accounted for 115,000 of them, up 16.0 percent.

Trade by private companies rose 7.1 percent to 1.96 trillion yuan, accounting for 82.4 percent of the province's total and contributing 5.8 percentage points to overall growth.

Imports linked to smart manufacturing also grew. Zhejiang imported 68.81 million metric tons of metal ores and concentrates, up 11.6 percent, while imports of mechanical and electrical products rose 21.4 percent to 103.86 billion yuan.

Imports of integrated circuits increased 43.1 percent, while those of flat-panel display modules surged 229.3 percent, reflecting growing demand linked to the province's shift toward smarter manufacturing.

Zhejiang's trade with ASEAN rose 24.3 percent to 418.73 billion yuan. In May alone, exports to ASEAN reached 68.49 billion yuan, making the bloc the province's largest export market for the month, ahead of the European Union.

Trade with Latin America, Africa, and Central Asia grew 4.7 percent, 15.4 percent, and 12.6 percent, respectively.

Imports from Africa rose 33.7 percent year-on-year in May, supported by China's zero-tariff treatment for 53 African countries with diplomatic ties to China, which took effect on May 1.