Quzhou's imports and exports were valued at 38.43 billion yuan ($5.28 billion) from January to July, an increase of 16.8 percent over the same period last year, according to Quzhou Customs.

Exports were valued at 24.28 billion yuan, an uptick of 7.2 percent, while imports were valued at 14.15 billion yuan, a surge of 38.2 percent. The import and export growth rate continued to rank first in Zhejiang province.

During this period, the city's exports of solar cells expanded 81.4 percent to 1.01 billion yuan, driving the city's export growth by 2 percentage points. Exports to India and ASEAN experienced increases of 39.4 percent and 37 percent, respectively.

The city's pulp imports amounted to 4.27 billion yuan, a whopping rise of 133.4 percent, driving the city's import growth by 23.9 percentage points. Primary-shaped plastics imports totaled 210 million yuan, a jump of 543.3 percent, driving the city's import growth by 1.8 percentage points. In addition, natural and synthetic rubber imports surged by 727.9 percent.

In the first seven months, the city's trade with ASEAN, South Korea and Brazil stood at 9.61 billion yuan, 4.81 billion yuan and 3.55 billion yuan, respectively, increases of 85.3 percent, 20.6 percent and 88.5 percent.

In addition, the city's trade with RCEP member countries and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative reached 16.39 billion yuan and 15.59 billion yuan, respectively, up 45 percent and 58.1 percent.

Meanwhile, imports and exports of private enterprises totaled 30.7 billion yuan, an increase of 15.6 percent. Exports were valued at 18.38 billion yuan, up 5.3 percent, while imports were valued at 12.33 billion yuan, up 35.3 percent.