Foreign economy is not only an important carrier for opening wider to the outside world, but also an important path for integration into economic globalization. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, Jingzhou has vigorously promoted the transition and upgrading of its foreign economy by focusing on leading industries, building platforms and providing excellent services. In the past decade, the total foreign trade volume of the city has been rising year by year, its export structure has continuously been optimized, its channels for opening-up have become more diversified, and its trade market has become broader.
On June 10 this year, the China-Europe train "Yangtze River" (Jingzhou Special) departed from Yanka Port in Jingzhou for Russia. Consisting of 50 cabinets, this special train was loaded with Midea white household appliances worth a total of nearly RMB7.5 million. The train has further opened up the foreign trade channel for the city, improved the timeliness of customs clearance of foreign trade, reduced the logistics cost of foreign trade, and enhanced the opening-up level of the city's foreign economy.
An efficient system of "river-sea direct access" and "highway-railway-waterway intermodal transportation" has transformed Jingzhou's location advantage into economic advantage and further enhanced the comprehensive competitiveness of the city's open economy. Today, Jingzhou has completed the Wharf (Phase I) in Libu Port Area, the Cheyanghe Wharf (Phase II) in Jingzhou Port, and the Wharf in Xindi Port Area in Honghu, and all the key port areas have built the first-class roads for port logistics. In addition, Yanka and Jiangling port areas have built special railway lines for collection and distribution, utilizing Jingmen-shashi Railway and Haolebaoji-Ji'an Railway for the railway-waterway intermodal transportation of iron ore, fertilizer, coal and container. At the same time, the Cheyanghe Operation Area utilizes Jiaozuo-Liuzhou Railway for the highway-waterway intermodal transportation of pulp and fertilizer.
Platform construction is an important support for developing export-oriented economy. Jingzhou National Processing Trade Industrial Park is among the first batch of 13 national processing trade industrial parks announced by the Ministry of Commerce last year, and also the only national processing trade industrial park recognized by Hubei Province. The planned area of the industrial park is 51.9 square kilometers, and the development model of "One Park and Three Areas" will be adopted for its spatial pattern. "One Park" refers to Jingzhou Processing Trade Industrial Park, and "Three Plots" refer to the three plots in Jingzhou Development Zone, Jingzhou District and Gongan County, connecting with the Yangtze River Economic Belt and fully integrating into the regional development pattern of Hubei Province.
In order to enhance its reputation as a national processing trade industrial park, Jingzhou has vigorously encouraged enterprises to develop processing trade by providing policy support, organizing business training meetings on processing trade, etc. By the end of 2021, the number of enterprises engaged in processing trade in the city had increased to 43.
While promoting their development through opening-up, Jingzhou's local enterprises have continuously improved their sci-tech innovation capability and strengthened their traditional advantageous industries and key pillar industries. At the same time, "Made in Jingzhou" has successfully opened the door to the international market. In early 2022, SJS Ltd. signed a supply contract with a German customer and exported 42 sets of downhole tools. This is the first time that Jingzhou's and even Hubei's self-manufactured petroleum equipment products have entered the European market.
In the past ten years, Jingzhou has strengthened hardware construction and introduced projects with open arms, focused on increasing platform support and gathering development momentum, and leveraged its reputation such as "National Demonstration Zone for Undertaking Industrial Transfer", "National High-tech Zone", "National Processing Trade Industrial Park" and "Jingzhou Cooperation Area of Hubei Free Trade Zone" to introduce leading enterprises in the industry and empower development. Specifically, the total import and export volume of the city's foreign trade increased from USD 1.149 billion in 2012 to USD 2.282 billion in 2021, with an average annual growth rate of 7.9%, of which the total export volume increased from USD 922 million in 2012 to USD 1.983 billion in 2021, with an average annual growth rate of 8.9%. The actual utilized foreign capital increased from USD 90.2 million in 2012 to USD 213.24 million in 2021, with an average annual growth rate of 10%.
The Report to the 20th National Congress points out that it is necessary to adhere to a high level of opening-up to the outside world and speed up the construction of a new development pattern with domestic big circulation as the main body and domestic and international double circulations reinforcing each other. In future, the city will continue to work towards the goal of building a high-quality development demonstration zone in Jianghan Plain and opened its door wider to the outside world so as to promote the high-quality development of foreign trade.