Over 125 Trillion Yuan! China's Import and Export with Other APEC Economies Over the Past Five Years

As a key part of the APEC "China Year" series of events, the first plenary meeting of the APEC Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures (SCCP) in 2026 was held in Guangzhou on the 4th. It was learned at the meeting that during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, the total import and export value between China and other APEC economies reached 125.49 trillion yuan, an increase of 39.4% compared to the "13th Five-Year Plan" period. Among them, the value reached 26.29 trillion yuan in 2025, accounting for nearly 60% of China's total foreign trade during the same period, continuously releasing dividends of cooperative development.

China Customs serves as the Chair of the APEC SCCP in 2026. Zhao Zenglian, Vice Minister of the General Administration of Customs, stated that day, currently, the total economic output of the Asia-Pacific region exceeds 60% of the global total, and its trade volume accounts for nearly half of the world's total. This vibrant region is not only an engine for global economic growth but also carries the aspirations of countries and regions for common development.

"Customs is an important gateway and bridge for opening up, as well as a regulator and guardian of international trade. We have a mission and an unshirkable responsibility to optimize regulatory efficiency and service levels through innovation, build consensus through cooperation, promote regional security and prosperity, and jointly build an Asia-Pacific community," Zhao Zenglian said.

To jointly promote trade security and facilitation in the Asia-Pacific region, China Customs took this meeting as an opportunity to issue three initiatives to the customs administrations of APEC economies: Focus on inclusivity and universality, deeply implement the "Smart Customs" partnership program, and deepen cooperation in areas such as paperless trade, cross-border e-commerce, and green trade to continuously release more dividends of openness; Emphasize stabilizing and smoothing supply chains, strengthen institutional coordination and standards alignment, and actively promote "soft connectivity" of rules and standards; Highlight digital and intelligent empowerment, accelerate digital transformation and intelligent upgrading, and enhance the modernization of customs governance.

It is reported that the meeting will last for three days. Centered on the theme of "Building an Asia-Pacific Community for Common Prosperity" and focusing on the three priority areas of "Openness, Innovation, and Cooperation," the meeting will address hot topics such as technology and innovation, smart customs construction, and cross-border trade facilitation. More than 100 representatives from 18 APEC economies' customs administrations, international organizations, academia, and the business community attended the meeting.

APEC is the highest-level, broadest, and most influential economic cooperation mechanism in the Asia-Pacific region. Since its establishment in 1994, the SCCP has become a core "incubator" for promoting innovation and technological advancement in customs procedures, injecting strong momentum into building a more interconnected, secure, and resilient Asia-Pacific supply chain.