Tianjin, the largest port city in north China, reported a foreign trade of US$13.56 billion in the first quarter of this year, up 35 percent on a yearly basis, according to local customs.

The total included US$7.24 billion in exports, up 28.8 percent, and US$6.32 billion in imports, up 42.8 percent.

Imports and exports conducted through general trade reached US$8 billion during the three-month period, up 50 percent year-on-year.

The trade volume handled by local foreign-funded enterprises rose 31.6 percent year-on-year to US$6.45 billion, accounting for 47.6 percent of the total foreign trade, followed by that conducted by state-owned enterprises at US$5.36 billion, and the volume by collectively-owned, private and other enterprises at US$1.75 billion.

Local exports of machinery and electronic products reached US$2.9 billion, up 42.9 percent year-on-year, followed by exports of garments at US$690 million.

Japan remains the largest trade partner of Tianjin with bilateral trade reaching US$2.4 billion during the corresponding period, up 21 percent, followed by the United States with a trade volume of US$2.3 billion.

Tianjin dealt with US$1.54 billion of exports to the United States from January to March, up 42 percent year-on-year, making it the leading importer of Tianjin products.

(Xinhua News Agency April 22, 2004)