China's coal-rich province sees 14.7% foreign trade growth in Jan-July

TAIYUAN -- The total imports and exports of goods in North China's coal-rich Shanxi province grew 14.7 percent year-on-year to 101.2 billion yuan (about $14.2 billion) in the first seven months of 2024, official data showed Saturday.

From January to July, the province's exports grew 12.5 percent to 61.05 billion yuan, while imports rose 18.2 percent to 40.15 billion yuan, according to the customs bureau of Taiyuan, the province's capital city.

During the period, Shanxi's trade with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative reached 47.52 billion yuan, marking a 23.6-percent increase and accounting for 47 percent of its total trade volume. Trade with the other Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) member countries accounted for 32.1 percent of the total.

In terms of export items, mobile phones, rolled steels, solar cell and coal saw significant growth, with year-on-year surges of 10.8 percent, 15.6 percent, 189.6 percent, and 177.4 percent, respectively.