In 2025, Shandong's total foreign trade imports and exports reached RMB 3.53 trillion, up 4.5% year on year. It accounted for 7.8% of the national total and contributed 9.1% to national foreign trade growth. Its import and export scale ranked fifth nationwide.

　　Of this, trade with Belt and Road partner countries totaled RMB 2.26 trillion, up 7.6%, accounting for 64.1% of the province's total imports and exports, making it the foundation of Shandong's foreign trade.

Image source: SCO Demonstration Area

　　Shandong's huge import and export structure means it cannot entrust the security of its foreign trade corridors to only a few main routes. Therefore, the addition of this route is in fact a pragmatic adjustment in international logistics strategy by a major export-oriented economy. Through multiple corridors, multiple modes and multi-layered institutional arrangements, it reduces the transmission risk of fluctuations in a single link to the overall opening-up pattern and adds more elasticity to the foundation of opening-up.

　　At present, Shandong has formed a transport system centered on ports, using rail freight trains for land access across Eurasia, sea-rail intermodal transport to extend port hinterlands deep into the entire Yellow River basin, and TIR and air cargo to enhance flexibility and timeliness. In 2025, Shandong Port Group's cargo throughput exceeded 1.9 billion tonnes and its container volume exceeded 47 million TEUs, ranking first and second globally, respectively. Its number of foreign trade routes remained first among northern Chinese ports.