According to data released by customs, Shandong's total import and export volume reached 1.42 trillion yuan ($198.15 billion) in the first five months, marking a year-on-year increase of 7.7 percent.

Private enterprises in Shandong had imports and exports amounting to 1.08 trillion yuan during the same period, a growth of 8.5 percent. State-owned enterprises saw imports and exports of 129.04 billion yuan, with an increase of 14.4 percent.

These figures reflect the strong resilience of Shandong's foreign trade amidst external uncertainties. Since the beginning of the year, Shandong has made targeted efforts in institutional innovation, customs facilitation, and market expansion.

The launch of the 10 actions for stabilizing and improving the quality of foreign trade this year covers various aspects, including market development, cross-border e-commerce, and coordinated trade and investment.

A series of high-standard exhibitions and events, such as the Qingdao International Automobile Industry Exhibition, the Foreign Trade Quality Products Shopping Season, and the Hong Kong-Macao-Shandong Week, have been held, further boosting the stable growth of Shandong's foreign trade.

At the Qingdao Port in Shandong, tugboats assist a cargo ship entering the harbor. [Photo/IC]