Foreign trade, also known as "foreign trade" or "import and export trade", refers to the exchange of goods and services between one country (region) and another country (region). This trade consists of import and export. For countries (regions) transporting goods or services, it is import; For countries (regions) that transport goods or services, it is export. This began to emerge and develop in slave society and feudal society, and developed more rapidly in capitalist society. Its nature and function are determined by different social systems.

Reciprocal trade: the trade mode in which the seller undertakes to purchase goods or services of equal value from the buyer

Exhibition and purchase trade: an international fair or market held in the country, which focuses on import and export transactions for a period of time

Processing trade: it is usually called "three to trade", including processing trade with supplied materials, assembly trade with supplied parts and processing trade with supplied samples, also known as processing trade.

Compensation trade: first, import machinery, equipment and technology from abroad in the form of credit purchase. After being put into operation, repay the principal and interest of the loan with the products and services produced. (the combination of compensation trade and processing trade is commonly referred to as "three supplies and one compensation".)