An impressive view of Hohhot by night. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Hohhot Comprehensive Bonded Zone – in Hohhot, capital of North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region – posted a surge in foreign trade from January to April, with total imports and exports worth a hefty 3.09 billion yuan ($426 million).

That represented a whopping 46.67 percent increase year-on-year, setting a record for the four-month period.

The zone's strategic focus on processing trade, bonded logistics, cross-border e-commerce and bulk trade is said to have fueled the growth, alongside efforts to enhance its transportation capabilities.

In the wake of investment promotions in cities like Chengdu, Shanghai and Shenzhen, the zone has attracted significant investment – particularly in key industries like bonded processing and logistics, second-hand vehicle exports and cross-border e-commerce.

Thirteen new projects have been initiated – including beef jerky and cheese processing and superconducting constant temperature systems projects.

Moreover, the zone has seen a steady rise in the level of cargo transport – operating 20 trips made by China-Europe and China-Central Asia freight trains with a total cargo value of 270 million yuan.

It also explored innovative port cooperation models – such as the launch of the Tianjin Port-Hohhot import sea-rail intermodal container train – opening up new logistics channels.

These initiatives are viewed as reflecting the zone's commitment to accelerating and innovating, contributing significantly to the resilience of Hohhot's foreign trade and its growth.

Overall, through its expanding cooperation and opening up, the zone is deemed to have laid out a solid foundation for improving the efficiency and quality of international trade channels, benefiting both internal and external stakeholders.