As the 139th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) is in full swing, the Guangdong Sub-Administration of the General Administration of Customs of China released striking figures: In the first quarter of 2026, Guangdong's total foreign trade reached 2.54 trillion yuan, a 19.4% increase. Exports stood at 1.53 trillion yuan, a 14.3% increase; imports hit 1.01 trillion yuan, a 27.8% increase, marking the first time that quarterly imports have exceeded one trillion yuan.

With exports up 14% and imports up 28%, this widening growth gap reveals that Guangdong is transforming from a world factory into a global market. For a long time, the outside world has measured Guangdong primarily by its exports, but the rapid catch-up in imports tells a different story: Guangdong is not just a factory that sells to the world; it is also a rising giant that buys from the world.

The driving force behind imports exceeding one trillion yuan comes from three aspects. First, the robust demand for industrial upgrading. In the first quarter, Guangdong's imports of integrated circuits increased by 36.5%, and aircraft parts rose by 53.3%—more imports mean faster upgrading. Second, the strong momentum of consumption upgrading. With a resident population of over 129 million, Guangdong saw imports of edible oil increase by 124.1% and beef by 73.4%, showing that imported consumer goods are shifting from luxuries to daily necessities. Third, the ongoing deepening of openness and cooperation. Imports from countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative grew by 11.3%, and imports from the least developed countries increased by 27.7%, demonstrating that Guangdong is providing market opportunities for global trading partners.

Guangdong's quarterly imports exceeded one trillion yuan for the first time, revealing that on the import side, the consumer demand from a population of over 129 million, combined with the rigid demand of advanced manufacturing, turns Guangdong into an engine that enables the world to share in China's market. Through both imports and exports, Guangdong plays a dual role as both the world's factory and a global market.

季度进口首破万亿元！广东外贸的“另一面”藏不住了

第139届广交会火热进行之际，海关总署广东分署发布亮眼数据：2026年一季度，广东外贸进出口2.54万亿元，增长19.4%。其中出口1.53万亿元，增长14.3%；进口1.01万亿元，增长27.8%，季度进口首次突破万亿元大关。

出口涨14%、进口涨28%——这个“剪刀差”背后，广东正从“世界工厂”向“全球市场”转型。长期以来，外界习惯用出口定义广东，但进口的快速追赶释放出深层信号：广东不仅是“卖全球”的工厂，更是一个崛起的“买全球”的超级市场。

进口突破万亿，驱动力来自三个方面。一是产业升级的刚性需求。一季度，广东进口集成电路增长36.5%、航空器零部件增长53.3%，进口越多，升级越快。二是消费升级的澎湃动力。广东常住人口超1.29亿，进口食用油增长124.1%、牛肉增长73.4%，进口消费品正从“奢侈品”变成“日用品”。三是开放合作的持续深化。自共建“一带一路”国家进口增长11.3%，自最不发达国家进口增长27.7%，广东正为全球贸易伙伴提供市场机遇。

季度进口首破万亿，让广东外贸的“另一面”彻底显现：进口端，超1.29亿人口释放的消费需求和先进制造业的刚性需求，让广东成为世界共享中国市场的“动力源”。一进一出之间，广东同时扮演“世界工厂”与“全球市场”的双重角色。

文｜羊城晚报经济评论员 陈泽云 汪海晏
图 ｜海关总署广东分署
翻译 | 黄健新
审校 | 曾敏