The top 100 China cities in 2019 in terms of foreign trade

The China Customs magazine, sponsored by the General Administration of Customs of China, announced the list of the top 100 China cities in 2019 in terms of foreign trade. The ranking is mainly based on customs statistics and comprehensive national economic data. The index system is based on is mainly composed of 25 major indicators including 5 major items such as urban foreign trade level competitiveness, structural competitiveness, efficiency competitiveness, development competitiveness, and potential competitiveness. Read this article to learn about the top 100 China cities in 2019 in terms of foreign trade.

A general introduction of the top 100 China cities in 2019 in terms of foreign trade

Judging from the list, cities in the eastern coastal region have taken the top 10, and the number of cities in the central and western regions entering the top 20 has increased. The domestic foreign trade regional layout is more balanced.

The top 10 cities all come from developed areas along the eastern coast. Among the top 20, the eastern region occupies 15 seats. Although cities in the Midwest did not enter the top 10, they accounted for half of the 10-20th. The growth of foreign trade in the central and western regions shows a rapid momentum, and the growth rate is significantly faster than that in the eastern regions.

Zhao Ping, director of the International Trade Research Department of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said that the rapid growth of foreign trade in the central and western regions was mainly driven by the opening-up policy. Under the guidance of the “Belt and Road” and the construction of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the central and western regions have accelerated integration into the global market, thus promoting the steady development of foreign trade in these areas.

Here are the top 100 China cities in 2019 in terms of foreign trade and introduction to the top 10 cities.

The top 1-50 China cities in 2019 in terms of foreign trade

Ranking	Cities	Scores	Ranking	Cities	Scores
1	Shenzhen, Guangdong Province	82.6	2	Shanghai	80.7
3	Dongguan, Guangdong Province	80.4	4	Suzhou, Jiangsu Province	79.9
5	Zhuhai, Guangdong Province	78.1	6	Xiamen, Fujian Province	77.8
7	Guangzhou, Guangdong Province	77.1	8	Ningbo, Zhejiang Province	76.3
9	Tianjin	75.7	10	Beijing	75.7
11	Wuxi, Jiangsu Province	75.1	12	Dalian, Liaoning Province	74.6
13	Chongqing	74.4	14	Xi’an, Shaanxi Province	74.4
15	Qingdao, Shandong Province	74.2	16	Zhengzhou, Henan Province	74.1
17	Wuhan, Hubei Province	74.1	18	Chengdu, Sichuan Province	74
19	Foshan, Guangdong Province	73.8	20	Nanjing, Jiangsu Province	73.7
21	Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province	73.7	22	Jinhua, Zhejiang Province	73.5
23	Changzhou, Jiangsu Province	73.5	24	Yantai, Shandong Province	73.4
25	Hefei, Anhui Province	73.3	26	Huizhou, Guangdong Province	72.9
27	Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province	72.7	28	Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province	72.7
29	Zhongshan, Guangdong Province	72.5	30	Changchun, Jilin Province	72.5
31	Shandong Dongying	72.2	32	Ma’anshan, Anhui Province	72.1
33	Changsha, Hunan Province	72	34	Nantong, Jiangsu Province	72
35	Chongzuo, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region	72	36	Fuzhou, Fujian Province	71.9
37	Tongling, Anhui Province	71.9	38	Jinzhou, Liaoning Province	71.8
39	Zibo, Shandong Province	71.8	40	Yueyang, Hunan Province	71.6
41	Jiangmen, Guangdong Province	71.6	42	Baotou, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region	71.5
43	Weihai, Shandong Province	71.5	44	Wuhu, Anhui Province	71.4
45	Fangchenggang, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region	71.4	46	Jinan, Shandong Province	71.4
47	Shenyang, Liaoning Province	71.3	48	Nanchang, Jiangxi Province	71.3
49	Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province	71.3	50	Panjin, Liaoning Province	71.2

The top 51-100 China cities in 2019 in terms of foreign trade

Ranking	Cities	Scores	Ranking	Cities	Scores
49	Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province	71.3	50	Panjin, Liaoning Province	71.2
51	Tangshan, Hebei Province	71.2	52	Benxi, Liaoning Province	71.1
53	Rizhao, Shandong Province	71.1	54	Ordos, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region	71.1
55	Xinyu, Jiangxi Province	71.1	56	Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province	71.1
57	Binzhou, Shandong Province	71.1	58	Taiyuan, Shanxi Province	71
59	Quanzhou, Fujian Province	71	60	Mianyang, Sichuan Province	71
61	Shandong Weifang	71	62	Longyan, Fujian Province	71
63	Anshan, Liaoning Province	70.9	64	Yingkou, Liaoning Province	70.9
65	Langfang, Hebei Province	70.9	66	Huangshi, Hubei Province	70.9
67	Taizhou, Zhejiang Province	70.8	68	Yingtan, Jiangxi Province	70.8
69	Hengyang, Hunan Province	70.8	70	Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province	70.7
71	Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province	70.7	72	Jinchang, Gansu Province	70.7
73	Taizhou, Jiangsu Province	70.7	74	Yancheng, Jiangsu Province	70.7
75	Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province	70.7	76	Jiayuguan, Gansu Province	70.7
77	Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province	70.6	78	Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region	70.6
79	Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region	70.6	80	Zhuzhou, Hunan Province	70.6
81	Cangzhou, Hebei Province	70.5	82	Shandong Liaocheng	70.4
83	Xingtai, Hebei Province	70.4	84	Bengbu, Anao Province	70.4
85	Huzhou, Zhejiang Province	70.3	86	Wenzhou, Xijiang Province	70.3
87	Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province	70.3	88	Xiangtan, Hunan Province	70.2
89	Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region	70.2	90	Chenzhou, Hunan Province	70.2
91	Kunming, Yunnan Province	70.1	92	Haikou, Hainan Province	70.1
93	Guiyang, Guizhou Province	70.1	94	Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province	70.1
95	Beihai, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region	70.1	96	Ji’an, Jiangxi Province	70
97	Anqing, Anhui Province	70	98	Jilin, Jilin Province	70
99	Yiyang, Hunan Province	70	100	Chizhou, Anhui Province	70

No. 1 Shenzhen, Guangdong Province

Population: 13.438 million
Area: 1997.47 square kilometers
GDP: USD 379.82billion
Area Code：0755
Major Airport: Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport
Main railway station: Shenzhen Railway Station, Shenzhenbei Railway Station, Shenzhendong Railway Station, Shenzhenxi Railway Station

Shenzhen is located in the South China region. It is a pioneering demonstration zone for socialism with Chinese characteristics that China is building with all its strength. Its economic aggregate ranks fourth in mainland China for a long time. In 2019, the gross domestic product of Shenzhen was 26927.09 billion yuan, an increase of 6.7% over the previous year.

No. 2 Shanghai

Population: 242.814 million
Area: 6340.5 square kilometers
GDP: USD 538.19billion
Area Code：021
Major Airport: Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Main railway station: Shanghai Railway Station, Shanghainan Railway Station, Shanghaixi Railway Station, Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station

Located in eastern China, Shanghai is a national logistics hub. In the 2018 World City System Ranking published by GaWC, Shanghai was rated as a “First-tier City in the World”. In 2019, Shanghai’s gross domestic product (GDP) was 3,815,532 million yuan, which was calculated at a comparable price, an increase of 6% over the previous year. The total retail sales of consumer goods for the whole year was 1,349,721 million yuan.

No. 3 Dongguan, Guangdong Province

Population: 8.645 million
GDP: USD 133.75billion
Area Code：0769
Major Airport: Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Main railway station: Dongguan Railway Station, Dongguandong Railway Station, Humen Railway Station, Changping Railway Station

Dongguan is one of the central cities of the Pearl River Delta and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It is also an important transportation hub and foreign trade port of Guangdong. Dongguan is listed as the first batch of national new urbanization comprehensive pilot areas and Guangdong’s historical and cultural city. Dongguan has about 1.2 million people from Hong Kong and Macao and about 300,000 overseas Chinese. It is a famous hometown of overseas Chinese.

No. 4 Suzhou, Jiangsu Province

Population: 10.7499 million
Area: 8657.3 square kilometers
GDP: USD 271.32billion
Area Code：0512
Main railway station: Suzhou Railway Station, Suzhoubei Railway Station, Suzhouyuanqu Railway Station, Suzhouxinqu Railway Station

Suzhou is an important part of the Yangtze River urban agglomeration in East China. It has four distinct seasons and abundant rainfall. The people in the area grow rice, wheat and rapeseed, and produce cotton, silkworm and mulberry. The specialty products include Biluochun tea leaves, Yangtze saury, Taihu silverfish, and Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs. As of 2019, Suzhou has achieved a gross domestic product (GDP) of 1,923.58 billion yuan. In 2019, the primary, secondary and tertiary industries realized the added value of 19.67 billion yuan, 913.118 billion yuan, and 990.892 billion yuan respectively.

No. 5 Zhuhai, Guangdong Province

Population: 2.0237 million
Area: 1711.24 square kilometers
GDP: USD 48.46billion
Area Code：0756
Major Airport: Zhuhai Jinwan Airport
Main railway station: Zhuhai Railway Station, Zhuhaibei Railway Station, Mingzhu Railway Station, Qianshan Railway Station

Zhuhai is one of the central cities of the Pearl River Delta and one of the earliest four special economic zones established in China. In 2019, the city’s GDP reached 343.589 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6.8%. Among them, the added value of the primary industry was 5.736 billion yuan, an increase of 1.9%, and the contribution rate to the growth of regional GDP was 0.48%; the added value of the secondary industry was 152.873 billion yuan, an increase of 4.6%, and the contribution rate to the growth of the regional GDP was 33.06%; the added value of the tertiary industry was 184.979 billion yuan, an increase of 9.2%, and the contribution rate to the growth of regional GDP was 66.46%.

No. 6 Xiamen, Fujian Province

Population: 4.29 million
Area: 1700.61 square kilometers
GDP: USD 84.56billion
Area Code：0592
Major Airport: Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport, Xiamen Xiang ‘an international airport
Main railway station: Xiamen Railway Station, Xiamen North Railway Station

Located in East China, Xiamen is a national comprehensive supporting reform pilot area and a national logistics hub. In 2019, the gross domestic product (GDP) of Xiamen was 599.504 billion yuan, calculated at comparable prices, an increase of 7.9% over the previous year. Among them, the added value of the primary industry was 2.649 billion yuan, an increase of 0.7%; the added value of the secondary industry was 249.399 billion yuan, an increase of 9.7%; the added value of the tertiary industry was 347.456 billion yuan, an increase of 6.6%.

No. 7 Guangzhou, Guangdong Province

Population: 15.31 million
Area: 7434.4 square kilometers
GDP: USD 333.07billion
Area Code：020
Major Airport: Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport
Main railway station: Guangzhou Station, Guangzhoudong Station, Guangzhounan Station, Guangzhoubei Station

Guangzhou is located in southern China and is rated as a first-tier city in the world by the global authority GaWC. The annual China Import and Export Fair attracts a large number of merchants, as well as a large number of foreign-funded enterprises and the world ’s top 500 companies. In 2019, Guangzhou achieved a GDP of 23628.60 billion yuan, calculated at comparable prices, an increase of 6.8% over the previous year (the same below). Among them, the added value of the primary industry was 25.137 billion yuan, an increase of 3.9% and the added value of the secondary industry was 645.40 billion yuan, an increase of 5.5%.

No. 8 Ningbo, Zhejiang Province

Population: 8.542 million
Area: 9816 square kilometers
GDP: USD 168.94billion
Area Code：0574
Major Airport: Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Main railway station: Ningbo Railway Station, Ningbodong Railway Station, Yuyaobei Railway Station

Ningbo is located in the east of China. It is the estuary at the southern end of the Grand Canal of China and the origin port of the “Maritime Silk Road” in the east. The annual cargo throughput of Ningbo Zhoushan Port ranks first in the world, and the container volume ranks in the top three in the world. It is a multi-functional, comprehensive modern deep-water port integrating inland ports, estuary ports and seaports.

In 2019, Ningbo achieved a GDP of 119.501 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6.8%, and the growth rate was 0.7 percentage points higher than that of the whole country. In terms of industries, the added value of the first industry was 32.23 billion yuan, an increase of 2.3%; the added value of the second industry was 578.29 billion yuan, an increase of 6.2%; the added value of the tertiary industry was 587.99 billion yuan, an increase of 7.6%.

No. 9 Tianjin

Population: 15.56183 million

Area: 11966.5 square kilometers
GDP: USD 198.81billion
Area Code：022
Major Airport: Tianjin Binhai International Airport
Main railway station: Tianjin Railway Station, Tianjinxi Railway Station, Tianjinnan Railway Station, Tianjinbei Railway Station

Tianjin is the largest port city in northern China. It is also the main node of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor and a strategic fulcrum on the Maritime Silk Road. In 2019, Tianjin’s GDP is 1,410.428 billion yuan. Calculated at comparable prices, it increased by 4.8% year-on-year, and the growth rate accelerated by 1.2 percentage points from the previous year. Among them, the added value of the primary industry was 18.523 billion yuan, an increase of 0.2%; the added value of the secondary industry was 496.918 billion yuan, an increase of 3.2%; the added value of the tertiary industry was 894.987 billion yuan, an increase of 5.9%.

No. 10 Beijing

Population: 21.536 million
Area: 16410.54 square kilometers
GDP: USD 498.59billion
Area Code：010
Major Airport: Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing Daxing International Airport
Main railway station: Beijing Railway Station, Beijingxi Railway Station, Beijingnan Railway Station, Beijingbei Railway Station, Beijingdong Railway Station

Beijing is the capital of the People’s Republic of China, China’s political, cultural, international exchange, scientific, and technological innovation center. Beijing was rated as the world’s first-tier city by GaWC, the world authority. The UN report pointed out that the Beijing Human Development Index ranks second in Chinese cities. In 2019, Beijing achieved a gross domestic product of 3537.13 billion yuan, calculated at comparable prices, an increase of 6.1% over the previous year. Among them, the added value of the first industry was 11.37 billion yuan, down 2.5%; the added value of the second industry was 571.51 billion yuan, up 4.5%; the added value of the tertiary industry was 2954.25 billion yuan, up 6.4%. The total retail sales of social consumer goods were 1,227.01 billion yuan.