The Yangtze River Delta area in east China, which is composed of Shanghai and its nearby cities around the mouth of the Yangtze River, accounted for 34.62 percent of China's foreign trade in the first quarter of this year.

Customs statistics show the Yangtze River Delta economic circle made US$83 billion of foreign trade in the first quarter, including US$40 billion of exports and US$43 billion of imports.

The Yangtze River Delta economic circle mainly consists of 15 cities, including Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Zhenjiang and Wuxi. Economic integration, actively pushed by local governments, has been on the rise in this region.

Closely following the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta economic circle in south China ranked as another major power engine of China's foreign trade.

Customs statistics show foreign trade of the Pearl River Delta economic circle totaled US$69 billion in the first quarter of this year, including US$35 billion of exports and US$34 billion of imports.

The Pearl River Delta economic circle mainly consists of seven cities, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Dongguan, and parts of Huizhou and Zhaoqing. China recorded US$239.8 billion of foreign trade in the first quarter, including US$115.7 billion of exports and US$124.1 billion of imports.

(eastday.com May 6, 2004)