Maritime Silk Road Trade Index shows rapid growth of China's imports in Jan.

The Maritime Silk Road Trade Index (STI) released by Ningbo Shipping Exchange shows a rapid growth of China's imports in January.

Under the STI, the Import and Export Trade Index closed at 144.50 points, down 2.98 percent from the previous month and up 22.05 percent from the same period of last year.

To be specific, the Export Trade Index closed at 145.93 points, down 8.17 percent month on month and up 10.60 percent year on year. The Import Trade Index closed at 142.82 points, up 4.11 percent month on month and also up 39.41 percent year on year.

In January this year, China maintained a steady growth of foreign trade with the countries along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Thanks to the stable recovery in the global economy, the country's exports saw a continuous growth in the month.

Given China's rising imports of commodities including energy, metal and chemical products and the RMB appreciation, its import trade saw a significant growth in January, according to the Exchange.