In the first four months of this year, private enterprises in Shanxi province reached an import-export value of 18.44 billion yuan ($2.56 billion), accounting for 39.2 percent of the provincial total. This marks an increase of 6 percentage points from the previous year and sets a new record high.

Shanxi's private enterprises have maintained positive monthly export growth since the beginning of the year, with the growth rate accelerating to 32.6 percent in April. Currently, 1,477 private enterprises in the province have achieved significant import-export performance, an increase of 188 enterprises compared to the same period last year.

Shanxi's private enterprises have actively expanded into diverse markets, achieving significant results in their foreign trade activities. In the first four months, over 1,000 private enterprises in Shanxi engaged in import-export trade with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. Exports to these countries reached 4.51 billion yuan, an 18.5 percent year-on-year increase, with the main export products including steel, fruits, and nuts.

Independent brand exports from Shanxi's private enterprises also grew by 66.3 percent, accounting for 53 percent of the province's total independent brand export value, hitting new record highs. Shanxi's private enterprises are rapidly transitioning from manufacturing to branding, significantly enhancing their product competitiveness and market influence.