On August 11, People's Daily Online, Shijiazhuang – The Handan Municipal Government Information Office held a special press conference, where Handan Customs released a strong report on the city's foreign trade import and export performance in the first half of 2026 and simultaneously launched a package of support measures to precisely empower local key and distinctive industrial clusters to explore international markets.

At the press conference, Li Jianxiao, Deputy Chief of the Monitoring and Analysis Section of Handan Customs, reported that Handan's total foreign trade import and export value reached 13.82 billion yuan in the first half of the year, ranking 7th in the province, a year-on-year increase of 9.2%. Foreign trade achieved two-way growth, with exports reaching 7.91 billion yuan, an increase of 12.7%, and imports reaching 5.91 billion yuan, an increase of 4.7%, showing a steady upward trend overall.

The trade structure showed significant highlights. General trade was the mainstay of foreign trade, with imports and exports reaching 13.44 billion yuan, accounting for 97.3% of the total value, a year-on-year increase of 7.6%; bonded logistics and processing trade achieved explosive growth, increasing by 1.7 times and 1.3 times respectively. Exports continued to improve, with exports of machinery and electronic products reaching 3.36 billion yuan, accounting for 42.5% of total exports and growing by 21.7%. Exports of basic organic chemicals and high-tech products doubled, while agricultural products saw steady growth. Imports were mainly industrial raw materials, with imports of metal ores and their concentrates reaching 5.01 billion yuan, a 35.8% increase, accounting for 84.8% of total imports, ensuring stable production and supply for the steel industry.

Overseas market layout became more diversified, with the city having 184 trading partners. Exports to ASEAN were strong, reaching 1.6 billion yuan, a significant year-on-year increase of 58.6%. Exports to traditional markets such as the US, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, and the UK, as well as BRICS countries, maintained double-digit growth, with only exports to the Middle East declining by 32.7%. South Korea, India, Indonesia, Russia, and the US were the top five export destinations, with exports to Indonesia increasing by 1.8 times. Australia was the largest source of imports, with imports from Australia reaching 2.8 billion yuan, a 1.3-fold increase, accounting for 47.4% of total imports.

Multiple favorable factors jointly supported the positive performance of foreign trade. Policies to stabilize foreign trade at all levels have continued to be implemented, and customs clearance facilitation reforms have reduced operating costs for enterprises. Fastener exports have seen positive growth for 42 consecutive months, with chemicals and high-tech products becoming new growth drivers. Demand for raw materials from the steel industry has boosted bulk imports, and bonded logistics platforms have released significant benefits. Rapid expansion into emerging markets such as Canada, Peru, and Indonesia has effectively offset external market fluctuations and enhanced the resilience of foreign trade development.

At the event, relevant department heads answered questions on hot topics such as certificates of origin, agricultural and food customs clearance, and chemical industry transformation. In the first half of the year, customs issued 6,083 certificates of origin, a year-on-year increase of 23%, with a value of 2.33 billion yuan; agricultural and food product exports reached 556 million yuan, an increase of 13.4%; chemical exports reached 993 million yuan, an increase of 32.1%; and bicycle and fastener exports increased by 38% and 13.4% respectively, demonstrating the significant effectiveness of policy support.