Reference News Network reported on October 17 that Pakistan's United News Agency published an article titled "Driving Development: China's Foreign Trade Becomes the Backbone of the Global Economy" on October 15. An excerpt from the article is as follows:

At a time when the global trading system appears to be increasingly fragmented by tariffs and geopolitical pressures, China's foreign trade performance provides an exciting contrast. In the first nine months of this year, China's total import and export of goods trade reached 33.61 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4%.

This number has grown steadily despite renewed tensions in various relationships, especially between China and the United States. As the data shows, China's economy has not retreated into isolation. Instead, China is turning to diversification and innovation and building deeper relationships with emerging markets and high-tech sectors, according to an article published by the European Committee for Standardization.

The growth trend in China's foreign trade highlights a larger narrative: China's trade machine, once driven by low-cost manufacturing, is evolving into a more advanced engine, using structural reforms to withstand external shocks.

The core of this transformation is to consciously adjust the composition of exports. Traditional goods such as textiles and consumer electronics still play an important role, but high value-added products are increasing. Industrial robots powered by artificial intelligence technology exemplify this shift in focus. Exports of these industrial robots increased 54.9% year-on-year, tapping demand for automation in factories around the world from Southeast Asia to Latin America.

This innovation-driven growth coincides with China’s strategic expansion of its “circle of friends” of trading partners. A country's dependence on any single market makes it vulnerable to external influences, especially if some markets have barriers. China’s response is to strengthen connectivity through the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. In the first nine months of this year, China's trade volume with these partners increased by 6.2% year-on-year, exceeding the overall trade growth rate.

The joint construction of the "Belt and Road" initiative has brought not only an increase in trade volume, but also vitality. In 2024, the trade volume between China and the countries co-building the "Belt and Road" will exceed half of China's total trade for the first time. This milestone growth momentum continues into 2025.

China’s trade story is one of adaptability, not dominance. It brings mutual benefits and gives developing countries access to affordable technology to accelerate their own industrialization. China’s emphasis on multilateralism, through forums such as Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the World Trade Organization, has provided a stabilizing force at a time when tariffs have fractured supply chains. The China-ASEAN Free Trade Area Version 3.0 Upgrade Protocol reflects this approach.

Looking to the future, China's foreign trade provides lessons for a world at a crossroads. Amid an expected slowdown in global economic growth, the 4% growth reflects the resilience brought about by policy and foresight. In addition to bringing about growth in statistical data, the boom in robot exports and the expansion of the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" are also manifestations of interconnection and prosperity. (Compiled/Hu Jing)

Cars being prepared for shipment for export (drone photo) taken at Longtan Port Area of ​​Nanjing Port of Jiangsu Port Group on October 4. (Published by Xinhua News Agency)