Latest official customs data showed the total import and export value of the nine provinces and autonomous regions along the Yellow River reached 1.09 trillion yuan (about 158 billion U.S. dollars) in the first two months of 2026, rising 15.4 percent year on year.

The figure, a new record for the period, highlights the Yellow River Basin's foreign trade performance, characterized by steady expansion and leading other inland regions.

Specifically, trade growth within the Yellow River basin varied significantly. Six provincial-level regions along the river recorded growth, with Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, Henan, and Ningxia leading the way -- posting year-on-year increases of 69 percent, 38.6 percent, 28.2 percent, and 23.9 percent, respectively.

Looking at export categories, the "new three" (electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic cells), along with other high-tech and agricultural products saw notable growth. Mechanical and electrical products, in particular, surged 17.3 percent, accounting for 61 percent of total exports.

Take the marine economy in east China's Shandong Province as an example: its mechanical and electrical products, especially high-value marine engineering equipment with long supply chains, have shown impressive export momentum. These products have held the world's largest market share for several consecutive years, injecting strong momentum into China's foreign trade growth.

"We have successfully overcome key technical challenges, including the welding of ultra-high-strength steels, and integrated air-cooled generators above 1,000 kW and air-conditioning systems into offshore platforms. This fills a technological gap in related domestic fields," said Xie Wanpeng, a deputy general manager at Qingdao Haixi Heavy-Duty Machinery Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC)'s Wuhan Marine Machinery Plant Co., Ltd.

The shipbuilding and offshore engineering equipment industry, integrating high-end manufacturing, new materials, and smart systems, requires a resilient and increasingly sophisticated industrial chain for support.

At the Haixi Bay Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Industrial Base in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, where the company is located, over 50 shipbuilding, offshore engineering equipment manufacturing, and supporting enterprises have clustered. This has formed a powerful industrial ecosystem featuring leading players driving innovation, research and development-led growth, and full-chain collaboration.

"About 30 percent of the materials for our ongoing projects are supplied by the local industrial cluster. This shortens procurement radius and significantly reduces logistics costs. Currently, we have over 100 platforms and port machinery equipment under construction, with delivery dates scheduled through 2027," said Zhou Zhenfeng, a project manager of offshore platform division at Qingdao Haixi Heavy-Duty Machinery Co., Ltd.