Due to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, the import and export value of foreign trade in North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region in 2020 was 104.33 billion yuan ($15.65 billion), down 4.9 percent from 2019.

Overall, the decline in the import and export value of the autonomous region has gradually narrowed. The import and export value in December 2020 was 9.73 billion yuan, an increase of 3.6 percent.

In 2020, the total import and export value of Hohhot Comprehensive Bonded Zone and Ordos Comprehensive Bonded Zone reached 930 million yuan and 410 million yuan, respectively, 6.8 times and 161.4 times that of 2019.

The import and export value of Qisumu Bonded Logistics Center in its first year of operation reached 201 million yuan.

In the past year, Inner Mongolia continued to stabilize foreign trade development and expand opening-up.

The customs departments in the autonomous region all adopted the freight supervision model of “declaration in advance, intelligent inspection and release." 

All freight channels in its customs areas have realized unattended and automatic check-and-release, and the passenger vehicle channels at five highway ports are equipped with smart checkpoints.

In December 2020, the overall customs clearance time for imports in Inner Mongolia’s customs areas was 29.55 hours, while the customs clearance time for exports was 0.37 hours, achieving the annual goal of reducing customs clearance times by 50 percent.

Last year, Inner Mongolia added 974 new foreign trade enterprises, bringing the total number to 8,348.

Meanwhile, the autonomous region handled 2,633 certificates for various tax reductions and exemptions. The total tax reduction and exemption amount was 254 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 14.41 percent.