A woman walks past a selection of imported goods at a direct-sale center in Nantong Comprehensive Bonded Zone, April 5, 2018. More than 8,000 categories of imported products from over 20 countries and regions are available at the center. [Photo/VCG]

Nantong reported a year-on-year rise in foreign trade of 13.2 percent for January, 7.6 percent higher than the average for Jiangsu province.

According to statistics released by the local customs department, the city’s import and export volume totaled 23.5 billion yuan ($3.47 billion) in the first month of this year –– the fourth highest recorded in the province.

The value of general trade increased 14.7 percent to 16.86 billion yuan, accounting for 71.7 percent of the city’s total foreign trade value. 

And processing trade increased 5 percent to 5.6 billion yuan, representing 23.8 percent of the city’s total.

Trade with major overseas markets continued to show stable growth.

Import and export trade with ASEAN countries, the United States, the European Union and Japan increased 28.6 percent, 27.5 percent, 20.3 percent and 8.7 percent, respectively, altogether accounting for 55.3 percent of the city’s total.