Imports and exports of Qidong, a county-level city of Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province, were valued at 9.11 billion yuan ($1.32 billion) in the first two months, a whopping increase of 68.1 percent year-on-year, the highest growth rate among all county-level cities and districts of Nantong.

Exports expanded 94.7 percent year-on-year to 8.1 billion yuan, the highest growth rate among all county-level cities and districts of Nantong.

The frequent delivery of marine products boosted the city's exports, as marine engineering is one of the city's seven key industries. In recent years, the city has accelerated the development of its offshore equipment manufacturing industry, attracting a number of key enterprises such as COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry Co Ltd and Sinopacific.

In the first two months of this year, the city's imports and exports in the marine engineering and shipping industry reached 6.81 billion yuan, a huge increase of 260.4 percent compared with the same period last year.

A port in Qidong, a county-level city of Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province. [Photo/WeChat account: qidongfabu]