Hohhot, capital of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

According to Saihan customs, Hohhot's foreign trade value reached 20.11 billion yuan ($2.76 billion) from January to November, marking a historic high and a 30.5 percent year-on-year growth.

This growth rate surpasses Inner Mongolia's average by 21 percentage points. The city recorded an import value of 9.12 billion, up 44.8 percent, and an export value of 10.99 billion, up 20.6 percent.

Hohhot's primary imports included refined oil (3.51 billion yuan), agricultural products (2.19 billion yuan), and food (1.4 billion yuan).

Mechanical and electrical products (2.6 billion yuan), high-tech products (1.74 billion yuan), and pharmaceuticals (1.5 billion yuan) led the way for exports. Trade with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative accounted for 12.71 billion yuan, a 63.4 percent increase from last year and 63.2 percent of the total trade value. Key trade partners included Malaysia (3.6 billion yuan), the United States (2.69 billion yuan), Mongolia (2.17 billion yuan), and Russia (1.68 billion yuan).

Hohhot's strategic location, robust infrastructure, and policy support have been crucial. The recent launch of customs-supervised areas at Shaliang and Tietong Logistics Parks and increased customized freight train services have bolstered trade expansion, especially with BRI countries, significantly driving foreign trade growth.