The long history of our foreign trade dates as far back as 627-755 A.D. when Anhui merchants sold local silk and tea to Asian and European countries. In 2001 , the provincial trade volume tops 3.62 billion USD , an 8.2% increase as against the same period of the previous year .The export volume hits 2.28 billion USD , increasing by 5.1% and holding 11th place in the country and 1st place in mid-west China provinces.

In 9th "5-year period", our export commodity structure has been rationized since we increased the composition of industrial products from 83% at the end of 8th "5-year period" to 86.6% at the end of 9th"5-year period.

Our major exporting commodities are: agricultural and its related products such as grain, vegetables, sesame seeds , lemon acid , feather and down products ; light industry and texile products such as garments , textiles , toys , shoes , art crafts and suitcases ; machinery and equipments such as bicycles , household appliances , apparatus , machine tools , transportation tools , radar and ships etc ; raw materials such as coal , pig iron , steel materials , copper and copper materials etc.

Anhui province has always adopted a positive policy of encouraging foreign capital utilization in more areas and with flexible means so as to optimize its function in promoting the provincial economy. By the end of 2001, the province has altogether approved 4937 enterprises with foreign investment, representing foreign capital of 6.2 billion USD. Foreign investment in the province has created 230000 job opportunities.

Foreign investors to our province come from more than 70 countries or regions such as HongKong, Taiwan, Macao , America , Japan , Germany , England , France, Italy and Canada, etc . A batch of transnational have set up ventures in the province such as Sanyo-Rongshida Electronics , Grandtour Tyres , BSH Cooling Appliances , ChaiTai Animal Feeds , Philco Aircons , Jinlong Copper, Hitachi Excavators , ABB Transformers , TCM Forktrucks, Knauf plasterboard etc.Eight of them have entered China's top 500 enterprises with foreign investment . Foreign investment is being involved in more than 30 industries such as communications, power, energy, machinery, chemistry, pharmacy, light industry, textiles, construction, real estate, and comprehensive services etc.

So far there are 30 development zones in the province. 3 of them are state-level: Hefei New & Hi-tech Deve. Zone, Wuhu Economic & Technological Deve. Zone and Hefei Economic & Technological Deve. Zone.

At the same time, our investment environment is being further improved. In recent years, Anhui has been putting emphasis on improving environment, upgrading service quality and formulating preferential policies in the hope of further bettering our investment environment.

We have formulated and implemented a system of registration card and license card in collecting administrative fees, a system of inspection on fee-collection, a system of application for examination, etc. With all these efforts, we hope to standardize administrative behavior and improve investment environment.

We have made efforts to set up and standardize External Investors Complaint Center to expose ourselves to the supervision of external investors and the society.

We have simplified examination-approval procedures and adopted "One-station Service" style, Administrative Publication System and Service Promise System. We have also provided pursuing service for key projects and enterprises . These express our wish to establish a favorable, convenient environment for external investors to work and operate.

With China's accession to WTO, the state will formulate more preferential policies to encourage foreign trade and foreign capital utilization. There will be more attractive trade opportunities in China , which , finally will contribute to the improvement of overall environment of enterprise operations . Meanwhile, with the implementation of relevant incentives to develop mid-west China , the country is certain to witness another round of economic boom . Anhui province is entitled to the preferential policies granted to mid-west China since the province situates in the middle of the country. On the other hand , our province possesses geographical , economic , and labor advantages as were mentioned above .These advantages are not to be found in mid-west China . Thus , Auhui in general is expecting a very bright future of development .

[Origin:Anhui Government Website]