China's Guangxi sees foreign trade surge 53.2 pct in Jan-May

NANNING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region reported robust foreign trade growth in the first five months of 2023, according to the local customs authority.

Guangxi's total imports and exports from January to May hit 287.5 billion yuan (about 40 billion U.S. dollars), up 53.2 percent year on year.

Exports rose 70.5 percent year on year to approximately 146.5 billion yuan, and imports increased 38.6 percent to over 141 billion yuan, data from Nanning Customs showed.

Trade between Guangxi and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) totaled 137 billion yuan, up 117.4 percent year on year.

With more and more agricultural products from ASEAN countries enjoying easier access to the Chinese market, Guangxi also saw its fruit imports from ASEAN countries notch up 3.66 billion yuan during the period, a 193.7 percent jump year on year. Notably, the import value of fresh durians from ASEAN countries reached 3.24 billion yuan, up 516 percent.