The Chinese mainland's Xizang Autonomous Region recorded a 15.4% year-on-year increase in foreign trade during January-February 2026, with total imports and exports reaching 1.83 billion yuan ($264.7 million), according to Lhasa Customs data released this week.
Export Momentum and Key Players
Exports dominated the growth at 1.25 billion yuan, while imports totaled 578 million yuan. Private enterprises drove 58.2% of trade activity, with foreign-invested firms contributing 40% of the region's 730 million yuan commercial exchanges.
Agricultural Exports in Action
At a Xigaze City agricultural production base, workers recently loaded 1,350 kg of pea vermicelli – a regional specialty – onto trucks bound for Nepal. This shipment exemplifies Xizang's growing role as a gateway for cross-border agricultural trade.
South Asian Partnerships Deepen
Trade with South Asian countries soared 43% to 828 million yuan, led by a 44.9% increase in exchanges with Nepal. The Himalayan neighbor now accounts for 43.6% of Xizang's total foreign trade, underscoring strengthened regional economic ties.
