According to the Guangdong Sub-administration of the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), since the issuance of the "Development Plan for Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area," the combined foreign trade volume of the 9 cities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) has surpassed 35 trillion yuan (approximately $4.86 trillion) in the past 5 years.
From 2019 to 2023, the total import and export volume of these 9 GBA cities reached 37.34 trillion yuan. Among them, exports accounted for 23.37 trillion yuan, imports totaled 13.97 trillion yuan, and the overall import and export activities represented over 95% of Guangdong's foreign trade during the same period.
In terms of regional distribution, Shenzhen has played a pivotal role in the foreign trade of the 9 GBA cities, contributing nearly half each year over the 5-year span, with an overall share of 45.8%. Regarding product categories, major export goods include electromechanical products and labor-intensive products. The export growth of "new three" products of electric passenger cars, lithium batteries, and solar cells has significantly contributed to the diversified development of foreign trade in these 9 cities.
Over the 5-year period, the total export value of electromechanical products from these cities amounted to 16.11 trillion yuan, making up 68.9% of the total exports. Exports of labor-intensive products reached 3.66 trillion yuan, constituting 15.7%. Notably, the export of "new three" products exhibited rapid growth, reaching 404.71 billion yuan over the 5 years. This includes 3.445 trillion yuan in lithium battery exports, 41.68 billion yuan in electric passenger car exports, and 18.55 billion yuan in solar cell exports.
In the past 5 years, the Guangdong Sub-administration of the GACC has focused on supporting the establishment of a high-level open platform, promoting the interconnectivity of the GBA, enhancing trade facilitation in the region, and fostering the development of new trade formats.