Coastal city of Xiamen in East China's Fujian Province saw its BRICS-related trade increase 64.9 percent year on year to hit 34.96 billion yuan (about 5 billion U.S. dollars) in the first four months of 2023, according to Xiamen Customs.

BRICS is the acronym for an emerging-market bloc that groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Xiamen's exports to four other BRICS countries amounted to 9.83 billion yuan from January to April, up 29.5 percent year on year, and its BRICS imports totaled 25.13 billion yuan, up 84.7 percent.

Major imported goods included coal, lignite, ore and ore sand, and agricultural products. Main exports included mechanical and electrical products, as well as labor-intensive goods.

In April alone, Xiamen's BRICS-related trade totaled 10.18 billion yuan, up 86.4 percent year on year, maintaining growth for 12 consecutive months.