Dalian, the biggest port in northeast China, has seen high growth in foreign trade in the first ten months this year, according to the city's customs statistics.

The total foreign trade volume stood at US$21.05 billion at the end of October, up 27.6 percent year-on-year. Exports reached US$11.29 billion and imports amounted to US$9.76 billion, up 27.6 and 21.4 percent, respectively. The trade surplus reached US$1.53 billion.

Exports of general trade items maintained a fast growth rate and reached US$3.87 billion, up 43.6 percent. Imports of the same items totaled US$3.51 billion, a rise of 27.8 percent.

Exports of processing trade items reached US$7.02 billion, making up 62.2 percent of the city's total export volume. Imports of the same kind reached US$5.08 billion.

The city's biggest three trading partners are Japan, the United States, and Republic of Korea.

(Xinhua News Agency November 21, 2005)