Zhengzhou Customs data released on August 12 shows that in the first seven months of this year, Henan Province's total foreign trade value reached 608.86 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 25.8%. Exports, imports, and total trade value all hit record highs for the same period. Mechanical and electrical products remained the dominant force, with exports totaling 242.64 billion yuan, up 18.7%, accounting for 65.1% of the province's total export value and driving 11.8 percentage points of the overall export growth. Among these, exports of the "new three" products—electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and solar cells—reached 28.46 billion yuan, a surge of 76.9%.

The "dual highs"—high export volume and high share—have characterized Henan's mechanical and electrical product exports for years. However, examining the structural evolution of these exports over the past decade reveals a qualitative shift in what these "dual highs" truly represent.

The Changing Foundation of the "Dual Highs"

According to customs statistics, mechanical and electrical products encompass a broad category including machinery, electrical equipment, transportation tools, electronics, and instruments. The widely known "new three"—electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and solar cells—are the rising stars within this family. A decade ago, any discussion of Henan's mechanical and electrical exports inevitably centered on the mobile phone production lines in the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone. At that time, core components like chips, R&D blueprints, and brand logos were largely controlled by foreign companies, leaving Henan primarily to handle processing and assembly. The export list was dominated by intermediate goods such as mobile phone components and electronic parts. While the export volume was high, Henan's bargaining power in the industrial chain was limited. For instance, in 2023, Henan's mechanical and electrical product exports were 342.7 billion yuan, making up over 60% of the province's total exports. However, a breakdown shows that mobile phone exports alone amounted to 240.62 billion yuan, a staggering 45.6% share. This illustrates a past reliance on a single product category, creating a "one-device-dominates" pattern.

The turning point came with the explosive growth of the "new three." In 2023, Henan's exports of electric vehicles, lithium batteries, and solar cells totaled 7.69 billion yuan, up 22.9%. By 2024, "new three" exports jumped to 12.08 billion yuan, a 21.6% increase, with electric vehicle exports alone reaching 8.85 billion yuan, soaring 91.4%. In the first seven months of this year, "new three" exports have already reached 28.46 billion yuan, a 76.9% increase, more than double the total for the entire year of 2024. Within this, electric vehicle exports hit 25.99 billion yuan, up 75.1%, and lithium-ion battery exports grew by 130%. The rapid acceleration from 7.69 billion yuan to 12.08 billion yuan and then to 28.46 billion yuan in just a few years is clearly evident. These finished end-products—new energy vehicles, energy storage batteries, and photovoltaic equipment—backed by proprietary technology and complete local industrial chains, are now running parallel to mobile phone exports, creating a more diversified export structure for Henan.

Behind these growth figures lies industrial development and product deployment. Yutong Bus new energy coaches are now on the streets of Europe and Southeast Asia. The BYD Zhengzhou base is accelerating its complete vehicle export volume. Luoyang has formed a local upstream and downstream cluster for lithium batteries and photovoltaic modules, with the entire chain—R&D, core component production, and final assembly—now established in Henan. High-end equipment manufacturing is also accelerating. Companies like XJ Electric and Zhengzhou Coal Mining Machinery Group (ZMJ) have gained access to global high-end markets with their proprietary technology products. Henan's superhard materials have long held a dominant position in global niche markets, and local enterprises are now beginning to participate in setting global product standards.

According to Han Yafeng, Executive Director of the Institute of Regional and National Studies at Henan University of Economics and Law, the core of Henan's mechanical and electrical product exports has fundamentally changed. "In the past, the industry was more dependent on others. Now, end-products supported by proprietary technology and local industrial chains are driving growth," he told reporters. Henan is in a transitional phase, steadily moving from simple OEM and supporting roles to the upper-middle reaches of the industrial chain. Niche sectors like new energy buses, superhard materials, and coal mining complete equipment have achieved a leap from supporting to leading roles, though the overall industrial chain is still in a critical period of transformation. "This high growth is not just about scale expansion; it's a clear signal of an industrial status upgrade."

The Changing Value Chain of the "Dual Highs"

This fundamental change has brought tangible benefits along the value chain. A review of Henan's foreign trade data shows a clear shift from primarily exporting component parts to dominating exports of finished end-products. In 2023, Henan's automobile exports exceeded 25.8 billion yuan, more than doubling. In 2024, automobile exports reached 33.62 billion yuan, over eight times the 2020 figure. In the first seven months of this year, electric vehicle exports alone reached 25.99 billion yuan—nearly 80% of the total automobile exports for the entire 2024. Compared to the processing profits from mobile phone assembly a decade ago, the profit margins from exporting own-brand products on the global stage are now on a completely different level.

The changes at the enterprise level are even more direct. On ZMJ's intelligent production line, nearly 200 robots collaborate on cutting, welding, and handling tasks. Batches of hydraulic supports are shipped to over 10 countries and regions, including Turkey and Australia. The company accounts for over 70% of China's total coal mining machinery exports and holds the top global position in coal mine comprehensive mining technology and equipment supply. In the first half of this year, its export value grew by over 20% year-on-year. Transitioning from single equipment manufacturing to a full lifecycle industry system of "product + service," ZMJ now also exports technical support and operation & maintenance services, significantly boosting product value.

China Railway Engineering Equipment Group (CREG) has maintained the world's top position in shield tunneling machine (TBM) production and sales for consecutive years, with a global market share exceeding 70%. Its products are exported to over 30 countries and regions. The TBMs exported to Dubai are no longer sold as single machines but are bundled with full sets of construction equipment and technical support, upgrading from "selling products" to "selling solutions."

Cao Yuping, a professor at the School of Economics, Henan University, noted in a previous interview that the continuous expansion of equipment manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing, coupled with the accelerating momentum of advantaged industries like electric vehicles and lithium batteries, is driving Henan's transition from a traditional resource-intensive and labor-intensive export structure to a technology-intensive and capital-intensive one.

The Changing Ecosystem of the "Dual Highs"

Han Yafeng further explained that with the rise of the "new three," Henan's "dual highs" for mechanical and electrical product exports have evolved from "high volume, high growth rate" to "high technology content, high added value." This iteration is visible across multiple dimensions. In terms of product structure, finished end-products like new energy vehicles, energy storage systems, photovoltaic power station equipment, and large-scale industrial and mining complete sets of equipment now dominate exports, while the share of intermediate goods is gradually declining. Technologically, core technologies such as lithium battery materials, vehicle electronic control systems, high-voltage power protection systems, and intelligent hydraulic supports have achieved localized breakthroughs, leading to steady growth in high-tech product exports. Regarding the main drivers of growth, private enterprises exported 464.64 billion yuan in the first seven months, a 30.3% increase, contributing over 80% of the province's total foreign trade growth. Data shows that in 2025, Henan has 15,300 enterprises engaged in import and export activities, an increase of 2,207. Private enterprises achieved 617.6 billion yuan in imports and exports, accounting for two-thirds of the province's total. Local automobile manufacturers, power equipment firms, heavy industry companies, and new materials enterprises are shouldering the growth burden.

In terms of the industrial ecosystem, a complete closed loop has formed: upstream includes new materials and core components; midstream involves final assembly of vehicles and equipment; and downstream comprises logistics, operation & maintenance, and overseas marketing. Henan is upgrading from exporting single products to exporting entire industrial clusters and ecosystems. It is noteworthy that Yin Hejun, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology, recently stated that the "new new three"—artificial intelligence, robotics, and innovative drugs—are developing rapidly and are expected to form new pillar industries. From the "old three" (apparel, furniture, home appliances) of the early reform and opening-up era, to the "new three" (electric vehicles, lithium batteries, solar cells), and now to the "new new three" (AI, robotics, innovative drugs), China's foreign trade is undergoing another transformation. Henan is actively participating in this shift. According to statistics from the Zhengzhou Airport Customs, in the first half of the year, exports of humanoid robots, medical robots, and their parts from the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone reached 274 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 360%. The province's AI industry scale has already exceeded 100 billion yuan, with over 500 upstream and downstream enterprises.

From the "old three" to the "new new three," the journey of China's foreign trade transformation is vividly illustrated by the changing essence of Henan's mechanical and electrical product exports. As "Made in Henan" shield tunneling machines traverse underground strata worldwide, hydraulic supports prop up overseas mines, and new energy buses drive into ASEAN cities, the world is re-evaluating Henan's transition from a supporting player to a leading role.