Border ports across China continue to show increasing activity as policies for local residents and the use of digital tools support cross-border trade. Regions along the borders with Vietnam, Laos, and Mongolia report higher participation from growers, traders, and cooperatives.
Fruit trade in Pingxiang, Guangxi
Before sunrise, trading activity is underway at the China ASEAN Fruit Trading Center in Pingxiang, Guangxi. A trader from Hebei inspects dragon fruit imported from Vietnam and distributes the product to Guangdong, Hunan, and Hebei. The city has promoted digital trading systems, launching an online platform in 2023. Since then, more than 600,000 cross-border orders have been completed, with a transaction value exceeding 18 billion yuan (US$2.54 billion).
Border residents use a daily tax-free quota of 8,000 yuan (US$1,130) to participate in trade. A cooperative model allows residents to take part in transactions, and about 24,000 villagers are active in the system. The China ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade Protocol has supported the development of durian, fresh coconut, and other processing facilities, extending the fruit industry from trade into processing, cold-chain logistics, and mixed sales channels.
Mohan port in Yunnan
In Mohan, Yunnan province, local residents import bananas and watermelons from Laos and export consumer goods. A mobile app now allows online declarations, replacing previous procedures that required in-person identification and document checks. More than 7,000 residents, or about 68 per cent of the town's registered population, use the system. Twelve cooperatives manage trade flows. Between January and September, residents traded nearly 1.19 million tonnes of goods, with a value above 2.92 billion yuan (US$412 million).
Erenhot port in Inner Mongolia
The border trade area originally handled Mongolian fur products but now includes more than 400 products from 15 countries. By the end of September, trade volume exceeded 400 million yuan (US$56.4 million).
Policy changes now allow participants from regions beyond the border area. Daily tax-free quotas of 8,000 yuan (US$1,130) can be pooled to support larger operations. A single business owner now works with more than 200 border residents and operates three wool and cashmere shops in Erenhot.
Border regions continue to adjust practices as digital tools, resident participation, and cooperative systems shape trade flows, including fruit imports and exports along China's southern and southwestern corridors.
Source: People's Daily Online
