Illustration: Tang Tengfei/GT

A freight train loaded with small commodities recently departed the customs-supervised zone of the Yiwu (Suxi) International Hub Port, local business media outlets reported. The departure brought cumulative throughput at the hub past 100,000 standard containers. At first glance, the figure is unremarkable. Yet as a concrete data point from China's small-commodities trading center, it offers a useful lens for understanding how the country's foreign trade is evolving at the operational level - where logistics decisions increasingly influence trade performance.

Yiwu is one of the world's largest small-commodities trading and manufacturing hubs, located in East China's Zhejiang Province. Its scale and diversity have led some analysts to treat the city as a barometer of China's broader foreign trade. In the first 10 months of 2025, Yiwu's total trade exceeded 701 billion yuan ($100.4 billion), up 25.2 percent year-on-year and surpassing the threshold of 700 billion yuan for the first time. Amid global trade uncertainty, this double-digit growth underscores the continued activity and resilience of China's foreign trade.

Over the past year, logistics networks in and around Yiwu have undergone steady development. Facilities such as the Yiwu (Suxi) International Hub Port suggest that the local infrastructure is increasingly capable of handling higher container volumes. While incremental, these improvements provide a tangible lens through which to observe operational level adjustments in small-commodity trade.

According to information from the Ministry of Transport of China, the Yiwu (Suxi) International Hub Port opened on June 27, 2025. The freight hub links Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, the world's No.1 seaport by cargo throughput, with Yiwu, a major center for trade in small commodities. 

Since its opening, trains operating on the sea-rail intermodal route have regularly shuttled between this modern, intelligently managed hub and Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, connecting to destinations worldwide. According to an article on the website of the Yiwu government, the Yiwu-Ningbo-Zhoushan corridor has become a sea-rail intermodal "golden route" with a cumulative shipment volume exceeding 1 million standard containers.

This seamless integration of rail and maritime transport not only reduces transit times and logistics costs for local exporters but also enhances the reliability of supply chains, enabling small and medium-sized enterprises in Yiwu to reach international markets more efficiently.

By combining intelligent infrastructure with strategic connectivity, the success of Yiwu's logistics hub exemplifies how logistics practice can translate into tangible gains in foreign trade performance. Amid external challenges, Yiwu's logistics system has bolstered local foreign trade. The Ningbo-Zhoushan Port handled 1.4 billion tons of cargo in 2025, securing its position as the world's largest port by annual throughput for the 17th consecutive year, according to an ecns.cn report on Wednesday.

Yiwu's logistics network is underpinned by technological innovation, particularly through streamlined customs clearance and highly efficient operations. For instance, the Yiwu (Suxi) International Hub Port is reportedly China's first to implement intelligent, visualized systems that provide end-to-end information management and full-chain traceability.

Yiwu is not an isolated case. Across China, a number of inland and regional trading hubs are steadily expanding their logistics networks. Investments in rail, port connectivity, and intermodal infrastructure are enhancing the capacity and reliability of supply chains. The operational practices observed in Yiwu and its surrounding areas reflect broader trends that are having an impact on the country's foreign trade.

These enhancements benefit both exports and imports. By integrating customs procedures with transport operations, logistics networks improve overall efficiency. Exporters are able to access international markets more swiftly, while imported goods and components move with greater predictability, supporting domestic production and supply chains.

Inland cities are increasingly integrated into foreign trade networks through more efficient logistics systems, creating new opportunities for both exports and imports. Improved linkages allow these hubs to engage more comprehensively in international supply chains, while expanding import flows open up opportunities for foreign companies. Collectively, these developments are gradually altering the distribution of trade activity across the country.

These changes are gradual, yet they are generating new opportunities in foreign trade. The continued development of logistics infrastructure - including faster transit, enhanced cold-chain capacity, and more intelligent operational management - strengthens the resilience of China's trade networks. Incremental, locally implemented improvements collectively support the wider system, illustrating how modest operational adjustments can play a meaningful role in overall trade performance.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. bizopinion@globaltimes.com.cn