China economic powerhouse province posts 7.1 pct foreign trade growth

East China's economic powerhouse province of Jiangsu saw foreign trade grow by 7.1 percent year on year in the first four months of this year, local customs said on Sunday.

The province's import and export value hit 1.66 trillion yuan (about 244.5 billion U.S. dollars) from January to April, accounting for 13.2 percent of the country's total, according to Nanjing Customs in the provincial capital.

Of the total, exports rose 6.8 percent year on year to 1.02 trillion yuan, while imports gained 7.6 percent to 636.4 billion yuan.

During the period, its trade with the European Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the United States and the Republic of Korea rose 5.4 percent, 8.3 percent, 2.6 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

The foreign trade with the Belt and Road countries in the period reached 431.4 billion yuan, up 9.7 percent year on year.