Workers are busy loading and unloading goods at a wharf in Zhangjiagang. [Photo/zjgonline.com.cn]

The foreign trade of Zhangjiagang, a county-level city in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, reached 69.18 billion yuan ($10.04 billion) in the first quarter of 2023, the second highest ever during the same period, according to the city's customs officials.

The trade volume also surpassed that of Suzhou and most cities in Jiangsu. The exports in Zhangjiagang in March increased 3 percent year-on-year.

During the first three months, exports of labor-intensive products and rudimentary organic chemicals, which are main exports of the city, totaled 10.06 billion yuan and 1.13 billion yuan. Exports of solar panels and new energy vehicles, both of which are expected to be new growth drivers, surged 3.7 times and 9.5 times respectively year-on-year.

Due to the ongoing 133rd China Import and Export Fair, or Canton Fair, held in Guangzhou, Zhangjiagang's exports will likely continue to grow, said the city's customs authorities. More than 120 companies in Zhangjiagang which exported 1.87 billion yuan worth of goods in the first quarter are attending the trade fair.