E China province sees record trade with B&R countries in 2019

East China's Zhejiang province saw robust growth in its foreign trade with countries and regions along the Belt and Road in 2019, local authorities said.

Two foreign customers discuss with a merchant at the International Trade Mart in Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang province, on Dec. 3, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]

The trade rose by 16.7% year on year to about 1.05 trillion yuan (around US$152 billion) last year, according to Hangzhou Customs.

Both Zhejiang's exports and imports with BRI countries maintained a double-digit annual increase in 2019.

The city of Yiwu, a major small commodity hub in China, launched 528 China-Europe freight trains carrying over 42,286 standard containers last year, up 65% and 68.7% year on year, respectively.

Foreign business owners in Yiwu points to the Belt and Road Initiative as a major factor behind the rising trade volume.