Anhui's pilot FTZ sees robust foreign trade in Jan-Sept

HEFEI - The pilot free trade zone (FTZ) in East China's Anhui province generated foreign trade of over 110 billion yuan ($17.3 billion) in the first three quarters of this year, accounting for 22 percent of the province's total.

Paid-in foreign investment in the zone reached $1.58 billion during the period, accounting for 10 percent of the province's total, according to the administration office of the China (Anhui) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

Established in September 2020 with three subzones in the cities of Hefei, Wuhu and Bengbu, the Anhui pilot FTZ has developed rapidly to become a high-level opening-up and development platform.

"By following high-standard international trade rules and deepening reforms in investment and trade facilitation, the zone's market vitality and innovation will be further improved," said Zhang Jian, head of the Anhui provincial bureau of commerce and director of the pilot FTZ's administration office.

By the end of October, 12,205 new enterprises had been established and 875 projects had been signed for Anhui's pilot FTZ, with a combined contractual investment of over 480 billion yuan, official data shows.