Since entering 2026, the first year of the “15th Five-Year Plan,” the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) has continued to unleash strong momentum in foreign trade. Since May, the Guangdong Sub-administration of the General Administration of Customs (GACC), the Guangdong Provincial Bureau of Statistics, and the statistical departments of the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) governments have successively released the latest import and export data, with multiple indicators hitting record highs for the same period, fully demonstrating the resilience and vitality of the GBA economy.

01 The Nine Cities of the GBA: Imports and Exports Reached 3.4 Trillion Yuan in First Four Months, Contributing One-Quarter of National Growth

On May 21, 2026, the GACC held a press conference in Guangzhou, officially releasing the “Several Measures of the Customs to Support the Construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area”and announcing the latest GBA foreign trade data.

Zhang Geping, member of the GACC Party Committee and Director of the Guangdong Sub-administration, disclosed at the meeting that in the first four months of this year, the total import and export value of the nine mainland cities in the GBA reached 3.4 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 18.4%. The proportion of the national total import and export value increased from 20.1% in the same period last year to 20.7%, and the contribution to national foreign trade growth reached 24.9%. In 2025, the total import and export value of the nine mainland cities in the GBA exceeded the 9 trillion yuan mark. In the first year of the “15th Five-Year Plan,” a historical high for the same period was set again based on a high base and high growth rate.

02 Guangdong Province: Foreign Trade Increment Exceeds Full-Year Total of Last Year, Leading the Nation

On May 13, 2026, the Guangdong Sub-administration of the GACC released the foreign trade data for the first four months of Guangdong Province. In the first four months of this year, Guangdong’s imports and exports totaled 3.49 trillion yuan, an increase of 18.4%. Among them, exports were 2.06 trillion yuan, up 11.4%; imports were 1.43 trillion yuan, up 30.1%. Guangdong ranked first among all provinces and cities in the country in terms of scale, share, and increment.

It is worth noting that the growth rate of Guangdong’s foreign trade in the first four months was 3.5 percentage points faster than the national average. The proportion of the national total import and export value increased by 0.6 percentage points to 21.5% compared with the same period last year. The foreign trade increment was 541.07 billion yuan, exceeding the full-year increment of last year. The contribution to the national import and export growth for the same period reached 25.8%.

From the perspective of market entities, Guangdong’s private enterprises continued to lead growth. In the first four months, imports and exports of private enterprises reached 2.33 trillion yuan, an increase of 24%, a growth rate 5.6 percentage points faster than the overall rate, accounting for 66.8% of Guangdong’s total import and export value. Foreign-invested enterprises maintained a good growth momentum, with imports and exports of 1.04 trillion yuan, an increase of 12.4%.

From the perspective of trade partners, the trend of market diversification continued. In the first four months, ASEAN, Hong Kong (China), and the EU were Guangdong’s top three trading partners, with imports and exports of 540.55 billion, 521.24 billion, and 379.85 billion yuan respectively, all maintaining double-digit growth rates of 10.8%, 40.5%, and 10.4% respectively. In the same period, imports and exports with Japan and South Korea increased by 34.3% and 30.4% respectively.

On the export side, Guangdong’s high-tech and high value-added mechanical and electrical products showed strong growth. In the first four months, Guangdong exported 1.45 trillion yuan of mechanical and electrical products, an increase of 15.7%, and the proportion of the total export value increased to 70.4%. Among them, high-tech products such as 3D printers, digital cameras, lithium-ion batteries, and drones increased by 123.3%, 74.7%, 53.9%, and 34.2% respectively. On the import side, Guangdong imported 95.596 billion yuan of mechanical and electrical products, an increase of 24.9%, of which integrated circuits imported were 54.162 billion yuan, an increase of 37.7%; imported computer parts and accessories were 10.69 billion yuan, an increase of 3.1 times. Imports of high-quality consumer goods such as edible vegetable oil and beef increased by 149% and 72.3% respectively.

03 Trade Structure Highlights: Private Enterprises and New Quality Productive Forces as Dual Engines

In terms of import and export structure, high-end manufacturing and emerging technology products in the GBA performed prominently. In the first four months of this year, the nine mainland cities in the GBA exported 1.43 trillion yuan of mechanical and electrical products, a year-on-year increase of 15.8%. The proportion of the total export value rose to 71.5%, an increase of 2.7 percentage points over the same period last year. Among traditional advantageous products, exports of electronic components, electrical equipment, and computer parts increased by 34.4%, 30%, and 10.9% respectively. At the same time, the export growth rate of emerging products was even more impressive—exports of 3D printers surged by 123.3%, digital cameras by 75%, the “New Three Items” (electric vehicles, lithium batteries, solar cells) by 37.4%, and drones by 34.1%.

Private enterprises continued to be the core driving force for the GBA’s foreign trade growth. In the first four months, the total import and export value of private enterprises in the nine mainland cities of the GBA reached 2.26 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 24.2%, accounting for 67.1% of the overall foreign trade, and contributing as much as 84% to the region’s import and export growth. Imports and exports of foreign-invested enterprises also maintained growth, with a total of 1 trillion yuan, up 12.4% year-on-year, accounting for 29.8%.

At the press conference on May 21, Zhang Geping also specifically pointed out that in the first four months of this year, the import and export of mechanical and electrical products in the nine mainland cities of the GBA reached 2.4 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 19.4%. Customs will carry out a pilot program for the “Beneficiary Self-declaration for Preferences” business model to improve the efficiency of the industrial chain and supply chain for integrated circuits, new display devices, etc.

04 Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port: Imports and Exports Exceeded 130 Billion Yuan in First Four Months

On May 21, 2026, the official website of the GACC released the latest statistical data from Gongbei Customs regarding the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge port. In the first four months of this year, the total import and export value via the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Zhuhai Highway Port reached 131.45 billion yuan, a record high for the same period, a year-on-year increase of 47.5%. Among them, the total import and export value with other APEC economies via the bridge port reached 98.94 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 77.4%, accounting for over 75% of the total import and export value, becoming an important engine driving growth.

Data shows that in the first four months, the total value of goods imported from other APEC economies via the bridge port was 21.39 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 87.8%. Among them, imports of aircraft parts were 5.05 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 92.1%, reflecting the trend of the GBA’s industrial structure transforming towards “high-precision” sectors. On the export side, the total value of goods exported to other APEC economies via the bridge port was 77.55 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 74.7%. Among them, exports of cultural products and electronic components were 10.16 billion yuan and 9.79 billion yuan, increasing by 13.5% and 43.6% respectively.

05 Hong Kong: Exports Grew 32% in Q1, Sustaining High Prosperity

On April 28, 2026, the Hong Kong SAR Government Census and Statistics Department released the latest external merchandise trade statistics. The total value of goods exported in the first quarter reached HK$1,546.2 billion, a significant increase of 32% compared with the same period last year. The value of imports was HK$1,718.4 billion, an increase of 37.0% over the same period last year.

From the latest monthly data, the total value of Hong Kong’s overall exports in March 2026 was HK$618.4 billion, a year-on-year increase of 35.8%, far exceeding market expectations. The value of imports was HK$707.5 billion, up 41.2% year-on-year. Exports of electric machinery, communication equipment, and other commodities showed strong growth, mainly benefiting from the continued recovery of global demand for electronic products.

06 Macao: Exports Grew 19.7% in Q1, Goods Trade Steadily Rising

Data released by the Statistics and Census Service of the Macao SAR Government on April 30, 2026, showed that the total export value in the first quarter of 2026 increased by 19.7% year-on-year to MOP 4.18 billion. Among them, re-exports were MOP 3.78 billion and domestic exports were MOP 400 million, increasing by 20.2% and 14.7% respectively. The total import value was MOP 37.26 billion, up 25.1%. The total external merchandise trade in the first quarter was MOP 41.44 billion, with a trade deficit of MOP 33.08 billion.

By export destination, the value of goods shipped to the Mainland (MOP 560 million), the Hong Kong SAR (MOP 2.88 billion), and the European Union (MOP 64.55 million) in the first quarter increased by 221.6%, 7.1%, and 15.1% year-on-year respectively.

Based on data released by official channels at various levels since May 2026, the foreign trade of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area presents the following prominent characteristics: First, the growth momentum is strong, with the import and export growth rate of the nine mainland cities in the GBA reaching 18.4% in the first four months, contributing a quarter of the national foreign trade increment. Second, the structure continues to optimize, with the proportion of exports of mechanical and electrical products and high-tech products continuously increasing, and the export growth rate of new quality productive forces products such as 3D printers and drones being outstanding. Third, private enterprises have become the absolute main force of growth, contributing 84% of the increment. Fourth, the regional synergy effect is significant, with Hong Kong and Macao also maintaining good foreign trade growth, and cross-border channels such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge port continuing to expand in volume.

With the gradual implementation of the 20 support measures released by the GACC on May 21, covering five major aspects: rule alignment, scientific and technological innovation, new business formats and models, logistics hubs, and major platforms, the foreign trade of the GBA is expected to continue its high prosperity and provide stronger support for the high-quality development of the national foreign trade.

Data Sources:​ GACC May 21 Press Conference, Guangdong Sub-administration of GACC Statistics, Hong Kong SAR Government Census and Statistics Department, Macao Statistics and Census Service.