Rudong county has experienced a significant surge in foreign trade during the first three quarters of the year. The county's total import and export value exceeded 45 billion yuan ($6.3 billion), reflecting an 8.5 percent increase year-on-year, ranking Rudong third among all sectors of Nantong.

An aerial view of Rudong county. [Photo/WeChat account: rudongfb]

Breaking down the figures, exports amounted to 15 billion yuan, marking a 4.1 percent rise, while imports reached 30.1 billion yuan, up 10.8 percent.

Rudong's trade with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries saw a notable boost, totaling 3.15 billion yuan, a substantial 42.7 percent increase, with the growth rate accelerating by 7.4 percentage points compared to January-August. 

Trade with Belt and Road Initiative countries also flourished, reaching 30.1 billion yuan, a 15.3 percent increase. Trade with other Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) member countries rose by 8.8 percent to 9.45 billion yuan.

Foreign-invested enterprises showed rapid growth, with imports and exports totaling 10.01 billion yuan, a 19.5 percent increase, accounting for 22.17 percent of the total foreign trade value, an increase of 2.17 percentage points.

Rudong's textile and apparel products remained highly sought after in overseas markets, with exports totaling 5.08 billion yuan, a 17.2 percent increase. Chemical raw materials and chemical products saw a 45.7 percent increase, totaling 7.64 billion yuan, while food exports grew by 17.8 percent, reaching 677 million yuan.