The State Council Information Office held a press conference on the 26th to brief the media on the work and operation of the commerce sector in 2025. Yan Dong, Vice Minister of Commerce, stated that over the past year, China has worked with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to advance high-quality and practical economic and trade cooperation under the BRI, making positive contributions to building an open world economy and promoting the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.

New highlights have emerged in trade cooperation. In 2025, the volume of China’s goods trade with BRI partner countries reached 23.6 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6.3% — 2.5 percentage points faster than the overall trade growth rate — and its share in China’s total goods trade rose to 51.9%. In terms of trade structure, China’s exports of electronic components, mechanical equipment and other products to BRI partner countries, as well as imports of computers and their parts from these countries, maintained sound growth momentum, helping BRI partner countries upgrade their industrial development. In terms of trade formats, the themed campaign of Silk Road E-Commerce for a Global Better Future was held, attracting the participation of more than 100 countries and delivering over 240 cooperation outcomes, which has enabled more high-quality products from BRI partner countries to enter the Chinese market.

New vitality has been unleashed in two-way investment. In 2025, China’s non-financial outward direct investment (ODI) in BRI partner countries stood at 283.36 billion yuan, an increase of 18%; while direct investment from BRI partner countries into China reached 116.81 billion yuan, a rise of 1.9%. Cooperation areas have been continuously expanded, with 18 new cooperation documents on industrial and supply chain collaboration, digital economy, green minerals and other fields signed with BRI partner countries. The China-Malaysia and China-Indonesia "Two Countries, Twin Parks" cooperation projects are advancing steadily.

New achievements have been made in project development. In 2025, the turnover of China’s contracted projects in BRI partner countries hit 1.1 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 9.6%. The China-Europe Railway Express operated more than 20,000 freight trains throughout the year, and significant progress has been made on projects such as the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway and the Hungary-Serbia Railway. Over 700 aid projects, including landmark projects and small yet impactful livelihood projects, were implemented.

Yan Dong noted that going forward, the Ministry of Commerce will focus on four key areas to further deepen BRI economic and trade cooperation.

First, elevate the quality and efficiency of trade connectivity. China will advance negotiations on free trade agreements with more willing BRI partner countries and establish trade connectivity working groups. It will continue to build the Export from China brand, leverage major exhibition platforms such as the China International Import Expo (CIIE) to expand imports from BRI partner countries, and boost the development of trade corridors including the China-Europe Railway Express and the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor.

Second, optimize the landscape for two-way investment. China will well organize the Invest in China brand events to attract more investment from BRI partner countries. It will guide the rational and orderly cross-border layout of industrial and supply chains, give full play to the role of various platforms such as border (cross-border) economic cooperation zones, overseas economic and trade cooperation zones, and the "Two Countries, Twin Parks" projects, and actively advance the negotiation and signing of industrial and supply chain cooperation documents.

Third, expand emerging areas of cooperation. China will push for the signing of more cooperation agreements in emerging fields and deepen collaboration in green minerals, clean energy, digital economy, artificial intelligence and other sectors. It will expand the "Silk Road E-Commerce" circle of friends with high standards and develop high-quality pilot zones for Silk Road E-Commerce cooperation.

Fourth, develop high-quality cooperation projects. China will advance the coordinated implementation of landmark projects and small yet impactful livelihood projects, deliver high-quality overseas contracted projects and foreign aid projects, and continue to polish the brand of small yet impactful projects such as the Juncao technology cooperation, helping BRI partner countries improve their infrastructure and living and production conditions to better realize common development.

Source: China International Import Expo Bureau - Economic Daily