Nantong Port. [Photo provided by Xu Congjun to en.nantong.gov.cn]

The foreign trade volume of Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province experienced a year-on-year increase of 17.3 percent in the first three quarters of this year, ranking first in the province and 10.9 percentage points higher than the provincial average, according to Nantong Customs.

Its total foreign trade volume stood at 333.98 billion yuan ($46.87 billion) in the first nine months of this year, maintaining its position as the fourth-largest in the province.

During the same period, exports amounted to 230.62 billion yuan, a growth of 23.9 percent, while imports reached 103.36 billion yuan, an increase of 4.8 percent.

In September, Nantong saw a significant boost in trade when Wison Clean Energy exported China's largest floating liquefied natural gas production platform in both tonnage and gas-storage capacity, valued at 14.85 billion yuan. That month, the city's foreign trade volume reached 55.65 billion yuan, surpassing 50 billion yuan for the first time and reflecting a 73 percent increase compared to the previous year.

The city saw significant expansion in trade with partners outside the United States, Japan, and South Korea. In the first three quarters, total trade with ASEAN, the EU, the Middle East, and Hong Kong reached 52.2 billion, 47.74 billion, 30.83 billion, and 24.46 billion yuan, respectively, with growth rates of 42.9 percent, 26.7 percent, 24 percent, and 77.5 percent.

In the first three quarters, the city exported 140.67 billion yuan worth of electromechanical products, representing a 42.3 percent increase and making up 61 percent of total export value. Notably, exports of ships, electrical equipment, and integrated circuits increased by 87.8 percent, 140.5 percent, and 23.1 percent, respectively.

Nantong's production sector saw strong growth in material and equipment imports. From January to September, electromechanical product imports totaled 28.53 billion yuan, a 10.8 percent increase. Moreover, imports of organic chemicals, pulp, and grain rose by 45.1 percent, 13.2 percent, and 20.4 percent, respectively.

Currently, the international trade environment is undergoing complex changes, and Nantong's foreign trade still faces many uncertainties. However, the foreign trade trend in the first three quarters indicates that the city has managed to overcome challenges, with imports and exports growing consistently each quarter. The robust growth and dynamic momentum in industries like shipbuilding, marine engineering, electrical engineering, and semiconductors will provide strong support for the city's foreign trade in reaching new heights throughout the year.