The Chinese Spring Festival has had a significant and far-reaching impact on foreign trade, mainly manifested in the prosperous “export of Chinese New Year goods” and “import of foreign New Year goods” in both directions, as well as the continuous production by foreign trade enterprises during the Spring Festival without a break. All these together demonstrate the global vitality and resilience of the Chinese market.
The Spring Festival has accelerated the overseas expansion of “Chinese New Year goods”.
The Spring Festival, as the most representative traditional festival in China, sees a peak in the export of related products before the festival, serving as a dual output of cultural confidence and manufacturing strength.
- The traditional New Year flavor goes global: The pastries of Beijing Daoshang Village, the frozen dumplings from Yangzhou in Jiangsu Province, the zodiac white porcelain from Fujian Dehua, and the palace lanterns from Tun Tou Village in Hebei Province, among other traditional New Year goods, are sent to the world via refrigerated trains, sea transportation, etc., satisfying the homesickness of overseas Chinese and attracting local people to experience Chinese New Year customs. The orders of enterprises like Suzhou Daoshang Village have been continuously increasing before the festival, and their products are sold to Europe, America, and countries along the “Belt and Road Initiative”.
- Popular Chinese cultural products: Spring couplets, electronic firecrackers, Han Dynasty clothing accessories, and zodiac-themed gift boxes, etc., which carry Chinese elements, are produced by about 80% in Yiwu and are exported to Europe, Japan, South Korea, and other places, becoming the “Chinese gifts” sought after by global consumers.
- Outstanding performance of emerging categories: Besides traditional foods and handicrafts, new energy vehicles, electric bicycles, and 3D printers, etc., “the new three things” products, also accelerated their overseas expansion during the Spring Festival consumption season, showcasing the upgrading achievements of China’s manufacturing industry.
The Spring Festival has led to the steady entry of “foreign New Year goods” into the country.
The Spring Festival consumption boom has also attracted high-quality global products to flood into China, resulting in a two-way flow where “foreign delicacies” are served on the dining tables.
- Global Fresh Direct to Table: As the top import port for Chinese cherries, Guangzhou Nansha Port handled a cumulative total of over 9,200 containers of cherries in the 2025-2026 production season, with a year-on-year increase of 18%. Qingdao introduced Thai durians through direct flight charter flights, achieving “instant ripening” and quick customs clearance, with the products available for sale within 24 hours.
- High-Quality Foreign Goods Enrich the Year-End Shopping List: Norwegian salmon, Chilean red wine, tropical fruits from Southeast Asia, and other “foreign year-end goods” quickly entered Chinese supermarkets through efficient logistics networks, meeting consumers’ demands for high-quality and diversified year-end gifts, demonstrating the openness and inclusiveness of the Chinese market.
During the Spring Festival, foreign trade “remained operational”, ensuring the global supply chain.
To ensure the timely delivery of orders before the festival, Chinese foreign trade enterprises have been working in coordination with port authorities to guarantee smooth logistics.
- Businesses Worked Around the Clock During the Spring Festival: Enterprises such as Guangzhou Haojin Motorcycle and Luoyang Wuyang Tractor engaged in production throughout the Spring Festival, racing against time to fulfill orders destined for Africa and Southeast Asia. Guangzhou’s foreign trade enterprises achieved “continuous production and accelerated delivery”, with a consistently full order backlog in 2026.
- Key Ports Operated 24/7: Key hubs such as Guangzhou Nansha Port, Baiyun Airport Cargo Terminal, and Alashankou Railway Port had sufficient staff on the front lines during the Spring Festival, implementing convenient measures like “appointment-based customs clearance” and “railway fast passage”. During the Spring Festival of 2026, the number of China-Europe freight trains passing through the Alashankou Port increased by 5.5%, with an average of over 30 China-Europe freight trains departing each day.
- Policy Precision Empowers Businesses: The Guangzhou Municipal Commerce Bureau issued an initiative to ensure customs clearance efficiency and smooth supply chains; the tax department provided on-site services to solve the problem of export tax rebates for cross-border e-commerce, relieving enterprises of their worries.
Summary: The Spring Festival is a vivid illustration of the “dual circulation” model.
The Spring Festival’s trade boom is a clear manifestation of the mutual empowerment between the “domestic circulation” and the “domestic and international dual circulation”. On one hand, China’s strong manufacturing capabilities and the upgrading of domestic consumption demands have driven “Chinese New Year goods” to go global; on the other hand, high-quality global products have entered China through efficient channels, enriching domestic consumption. This not only stimulated economic growth but also deepened China’s economic and trade ties with the world, making “Chinese New Year” a shared cultural and commercial event for the entire world.