The export and import of China's international trade in goods and services totaled 4.3234 trillion yuan (more than 597 billion U.S. dollars) in October 2024, up 6 percent over the same time last year.
Of this, the export of goods recorded 2.1462 trillion yuan (more than 296 billion U.S. dollars) and imports were in at 1.6071 trillion yuan (nearly 222 billion U.S. dollars), resulting in a surplus of 539.1 billion yuan (about 74.45 billion U.S. dollars).
The strong export figures for goods reflect the country's production prowess, particularly as it boosts its capabilities in advanced manufacturing.
The export of services logged 234.2 billion yuan (more than 32.34 billion U.S. dollars), while imports stood higher at 335.9 billion yuan (about 46.39 billion U.S. dollars), resulting in a deficit of 101.7 billion yuan (more than 14 billion U.S. dollars).
In terms of the major service items, the export and import of transport, travel, other business services, telecommunications, computer and information services registered 167.5 billion yuan (about 23.13 billion U.S. dollars), 165.7 billion yuan (about 22.88 billion U.S. dollars), 92.6 billion yuan (more than 12.78 billion U.S. dollars) and 63.5 billion yuan (nearly 8.77 billion U.S. dollars) respectively.
In U.S. dollar terms, in October, the export and import of China's international trade in goods and services stood at 335 billion U.S. dollars and 273.4 billion U.S. dollars respectively, with a surplus of 61.6 billion U.S. dollars.
China's int'l trade in goods, services up 6 pct in October
China urges companies to make independent, interest-aligned business decisions free from external political interference, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning at a regular press conference in Beijing on Friday.
Mao's comments came in response to a BBC report on Thursday in which Tadashi Yanai, CEO of Fast Retailing - the parent company of the global clothing brand Uniqlo - stated that the company does not source cotton from China's Xinjiang region.
"Cotton from the Xinjiang region is among the best in the world. We hope relevant company will overcome political pressure and malign disruption, and independently make business decisions that serve its own interests," Mao said.
Speaking to the BBC in Tokyo, Yanai explained the company's focus on greater transparency regarding the sourcing and manufacturing of its materials, stating that Uniqlo does not use Xinjiang cotton.
However, in a recent interview with Nikkei Asia, Yanai reiterated that production in China remains crucial for the company.
Figures show that as of Oct 31, Uniqlo has 927 stores on the Chinese mainland, more than a third of its total of over 2,500 stores worldwide. Among these, nearly 20 new stores opened in September and October this year - including its first store in Sanya, a tourist city in China's southernmost island province of Hainan.
In the 2024 fiscal year, Uniqlo's sales revenue in Greater China reached a whopping 677 billion yen (about 4.38 billion U.S. dollars), up 9.2 percent year on year, according to Fast Retailing, Uniqlo's parent company.
China urges firms to eliminate political pressure, make independent decisions: spokeswoman
