Global Expansion Frontline | The total value of import and export goods transported via the China-Laos Railway has exceeded 100 billion yuan; Anta ha

Overseas Development Milestones

The total import and export value of the China-Laos Railway exceeds 100 billion yuan

Reporters learned from Kunming Customs on the 8th that since the opening and operation of the China-Laos Railway, as of October 7, 2026, the international freight trains of the China-Laos Railway have operated more than 25,000 trips, with import and export cargo exceeding 20.77 million tons and a total value of over 1.004 trillion yuan. According to Kunming Customs, since the China-Laos Railway was put into operation, the scale of import and export goods has increased by more than 24% annually on average, covering 19 countries and regions including Laos and Thailand, with more than 3,900 types of import and export commodities, serving over 7,000 enterprises across China.

Data shows that in the first 8 months of 2026, the value of tropical fruits from Southeast Asia such as durian, mangosteen and longan imported via the China-Laos Railway reached 5.26 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 12.3%. The proportion of exports of high value-added and high-tech products such as smartphones, industrial robots, new energy vehicles and their spare parts continues to rise. In the first 8 months of this year, the value of mechanical and electrical products exported via the China-Laos Railway reached 7.42 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 58.4%. (Xinhua News Agency)

WTO raises 2026 global goods trade growth forecast

The World Trade Organization released its latest Global Trade Outlook Report on the 8th, stating that due to supply chain adjustments and strong investment in the artificial intelligence sector, global goods trade is expected to grow by 3.9% in 2026, higher than the 1.9% forecast in March, and is expected to grow by 4.1% in 2027. The report also shows that due to the impact of the conflict in the Middle East on transportation and international travel, global trade in services is expected to grow by 3.3% in 2026, lower than the 4.8% forecast in March, and will grow by 6.4% in 2027. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said that in the face of shocks, the integrated world economy and the rules-based trading system provide flexibility for all economies, enabling essential goods to continuously flow to enterprises and households that need them. (Xinhua News Agency)

The 140th Canton Fair opens on October 15, more than 7700 Zhejiang enterprises participate in the Canton Fair in golden autumn

The 140th Canton Fair will be held in Guangzhou in three phases from October 15 to November 4. The three delegations from Zhejiang, Ningbo and Hangzhou have a total of more than 7700 participating enterprises and over 17000 booths, accounting for more than 23% of the total national export exhibition booths, of which there are more than 4900 brand booths, accounting for about one third of the total number of brand booths in the national export exhibition, ranking among the top in all provinces and municipalities across the country.

During this Canton Fair, Zhejiang Province will also set up a 135-square-meter "Zhejiang Trade and Investment Integrated Service Zone" in the exhibition hall, focusing on displaying service capabilities such as overseas warehouses and overseas economic and trade cooperation zones. Enterprises including Holley Group and Tuya Smart will participate in the exhibition, promoting Zhejiang enterprises to shift from commodity display to two-wheel drive of "commodities + services". (Zhejiang Online)

New Market Observation

Guangxi Beibu Gulf Port sets new record for ro-ro vehicle export in single voyage

On October 8, the ship "Changrong Kou" loaded with 2727 Chinese automobiles set sail from Qinzhou Port Area of Guangxi Beibu Gulf Port, heading for the Port of Duqm in Oman, refreshing the historical record of ro-ro vehicle export in a single voyage at Beibu Gulf Port. Located in the southeast of Oman, the voyage goes directly from Qinzhou to the Middle East without transshipment midway, and arrives in about 15 days, opening up an efficient new overseas channel for Chinese automobile enterprises to expand the Middle East market. In recent years, with the continuous improvement of the route network and the continuous optimization of the three-dimensional logistics system combining sea-rail intermodal transport and highway centralized transport, the radiation radius of the ro-ro business of Beibu Gulf Port has been continuously widened. Data shows that since the ro-ro business of Beibu Gulf Port was launched, a total of 10 voyages have been operated as of September this year, exporting more than 11000 complete vehicles and construction machinery. (CCTV News)

India cancels key tax incentives for gold imports, raising costs of major import channels

India has cancelled tax incentives for banks and government-designated agencies importing gold, silver and platinum, imposing a 3% tax on relevant imported goods, thus raising the cost of the main channels supplying one of the world's largest precious metals markets. The tax secretary said on Thursday that the government did not extend the exemption of Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) for precious metals imported through banks beyond March 31 this year. This move puts all gold and silver import channels on an equal footing in terms of tax treatment. (CLS)

Thailand adds 8 new Special Economic Promotion Zones

At local time on the 6th, the Thai Cabinet officially approved the addition of 8 Special Economic Promotion Zones in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), aiming to expand the space for foreign investment reception and promote industrial upgrading. Ploytale, deputy spokesperson of the Thai Prime Minister's Office, said at a press conference that this expansion breaks through the single mode of traditional industrial parks, and formally incorporates fields such as medical health, clean energy, food processing and smart logistics into the core development system of EEC, coordinating with the original industries such as auto parts, smart electronics and automation; it is intended to attract international capital, relieve the economic pressure of central cities, expand regional employment, and further consolidate Thailand's position as a hub of advanced manufacturing and supply chain in ASEAN. (People's Daily Online)

Company Updates

Meituan's Keeta announces expansion to 21 more cities in Brazil

At local time on October 6, Keeta, the food delivery platform under Meituan, announced that it will add 21 new cities covered by its business in Brazil, expanding from São Paulo State to other regions. This is the latest expansion move of Keeta in the Brazilian market after the São Paulo court ruled that the targeted exclusive clauses of competitor 99Food are illegal. Together with the 11 cities previously operated in São Paulo State, Keeta's planned coverage in Brazil will be expanded to 32 cities. According to Keeta, its app has been downloaded 10 million times in Brazil. Meituan plans to invest 1 billion US dollars in Brazil within five years. (Jiemian News)

Anta completes the acquisition of 29.06% stake in Germany's PUMA and becomes its largest shareholder

On October 7, Anta Group announced that it has completed the transaction of acquiring 29.06% stake in German sports brand PUMA for a cash consideration of 1.5055 billion euros. The transaction has been approved by relevant regulatory authorities and has met the customary closing conditions. After the transaction is completed, Anta Group becomes the largest shareholder of PUMA. (The Paper)

Samsung Electro-Mechanics plans to invest nearly 5 billion US dollars to expand semiconductor substrate production in South Korea and Vietnam

According to reports, Samsung Electro-Mechanics plans to invest nearly 5 billion US dollars in South Korea and Vietnam by 2028 for semiconductor substrate production, further enhancing Vietnam's position in the production of key components for artificial intelligence servers and high-performance computing. As the electronic component subsidiary of South Korea's Samsung Group, Samsung Electro-Mechanics announced two FC-BGA (Flip Chip Ball Grid Array) substrate investment plans last week. This product is used in chips for AI servers, robots and smart vehicles. One of the investments amounts to 4.27 trillion won (3.2 billion US dollars) for the Sejong factory in South Korea, which is the company's largest ever investment for a single product; the other investment amounts to 2.51 trillion won (1.87 billion US dollars) for its Vietnamese subsidiary. The company announced in 2022 that it would test FC-BGA substrates in Thai Nguyen Province in northern Vietnam. The expansion of the facility now shows that the trial production results meet expectations, and the company is ready to enter the mass production stage. (CLS)

Industry Trends

Lanzhou Noodles renamed Qinghai Noodles, Qinghai Noodles deploys globally

From "Lanzhou Noodles" to "Qinghai Noodles", many street noodle restaurants have quietly changed their storefront signs. Qinghai Noodles has entered more than 330 cities across China, with 32000 stores, 203000 employees, an annual revenue of over 24 billion yuan, and has also laid out in 40 countries and regions around the world. (CCTV Finance)

Foreign tourists make group purchases of gold at Shuibei, Shenzhen

Recently, the international gold price has experienced a significant correction. The gold futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell below 4200 US dollars per ounce, the domestic Shanghai gold price broke through the 900 yuan per gram mark, and the price of branded gold jewelry has dropped by about 150 yuan per gram cumulatively from the high point. During the National Day holiday, the Shuibei Gold and Jewelry Market in Shenzhen, Guangdong ushered in a sales boom, with the passenger flow during the holiday reaching 3 to 4 times of the usual level. Among them, the proportion of non-local tourists increased significantly, and the number of overseas tourists purchasing gold increased. Diamond jewelry and high-quality gold jewelry are especially favored by overseas tourists. According to merchant Zuo Jing, during the National Day holiday, he received about a dozen batches of foreign tourists every day, usually from Russia, Indonesia and Kazakhstan, who prefer large-carat diamonds, such as 3 to 5 carat lab-grown diamonds. (People's Daily)

The proportion of new pure fuel vehicle sales in the world falls below 50% for the first time

The latest data from Mobility Global shows that in the first half of 2026, pure gasoline models accounted for 49% of global new car sales, which is the first time in history that the proportion of pure gasoline car sales has fallen below 50%, a sharp drop of 24% from 73% in 2021. The data also shows that in the first half of this year, the overall automobile market size shrank by about 5%, while the decline in pure gasoline vehicle sales was twice that of the overall market. Industry insiders attribute the accelerated transformation of the market to oil prices. Affected by the conflict in the Middle East, fuel prices have risen sharply, and consumers have begun to seek models with lower vehicle usage costs. By region, in the first half of the year, gasoline vehicle sales in China fell by 26% year-on-year, the largest decline in the world; Europe followed closely, with a decline of 13%. In terms of pure electric vehicle sales, the European market increased by 32% year-on-year to 1.81 million units; the Southeast Asian market increased by 81% year-on-year to 350000 units; the Oceania market sales doubled to 110000 units. (China Fund News)

This article is from the WeChat official account "Zhejiang Enterprises Overseas Comprehensive Service Port".