China's Hunan sees foreign trade up 19.9 percent this year

CHANGSHA, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- Central China's Hunan Province recorded robust foreign trade growth in the first three quarters of 2022, said the provincial department of commerce on Friday.

The province's total import and export value from January to September hit 505.1 billion yuan (about 69.7 billion U.S. dollars), up 19.9 percent year on year.

Exports rose 27.5 percent to 371.11 billion yuan, while imports increased 2.9 percent to 134 billion yuan.

During this period, Hunan's trade with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the province's largest trading partner, totaled 104.07 billion yuan, up 57.3 percent year on year.

Hunan's trade with 64 countries along the Belt and Road soared 46.4 percent year on year to 178.33 billion yuan and accounted for 35.3 percent of the province's total import and export value in the first three quarters of this year.

Hunan and Africa have, in recent years, deepened their economic and trade cooperation. From January to September, their trade volume rose 47 percent year on year.