A wharf in Zhangjiagang, Suzhou, Jiangsu province. [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]
The foreign trade of Zhangjiagang, a county-level city in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, was valued at 152.68 billion yuan ($22.27 billion) in the first half of 2022, up 14.8 percent year-on-year, data released by the city's customs authorities showed.
Its imports and exports were 85.69 billion yuan and 66.99 billion yuan respectively, increasing by 11.1 percent and 20 percent over last year.
The foreign trade volume of private companies in Zhangjiagang reached 97.9 billion yuan during the same period, a year-on-year rise of 19.9 percent and accounting for 64.1 percent of the city's total. Jiangsu Yonggang Group, a major industrial enterprise in Zhangjiagang, exported 630,000 metric tons of steel worth $570 million from January to July. The company currently sells its products to 113 countries and regions across the world.
During the first six months of this year, Zhangjiagang's trade with member states of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world's largest trade pact which took effect on Jan 1, 2022, stood at 55.44 billion yuan, up 1.8 percent compared to 2021 and equivalent to 36.6 percent of its total.
Goods worth 263 million yuan benefited from preferential policies of the RCEP and local companies were exempted from 2.48 million yuan in taxes during the first half of 2022.
Zhangjiagang Customs has made concerted efforts, including improving clearance efficiency and explaining RCEP rules for companies, to boost the city's foreign trade growth, customs officials said.