China's musical instrument sector saw its trade with countries along the Belt and Road (B&R) increase by 16.41% year on year to US$450 million in 2018, authorities said.
Workers make Chinese traditional musical instruments at a workshop in Suning county, north China's Hebei province, Nov. 15, 2018. [File photo/Xinhua]
The volume accounted for more than 20% of China's total during the period, said the China Musical Instrument Association at the Music China 2019 expo, which opened Wednesday in Shanghai.
In 2018, the country's imports of musical instruments from B&R countries grew 29.33% year on year to US$154 million while exports rose 10.69% to US$297 million, it said.
According to the association, China and the B&R countries have a profound history of music exchanges and the rapid trade growth in the sector shows strengthened people-to-people ties.
China's foreign trade value in the sector totaled nearly US$2.12 billion last year, up 11.55% year on year.