Total import and export value of goods in east China's Anhui Province grew 6.3 percent year on year to a record high of 628.27 billion yuan (about 88.32 billion U.S. dollars) in the first three quarters of 2024, local customs statistics showed Monday.

It is the first time the province's foreign trade has exceeded 600 billion yuan in this period, according to Hefei Customs.

The province's exports rose 8.5 percent year on year to 419.85 billion yuan, while its imports climbed 2.2 percent to 208.42 billion yuan in the January-September period.

Private enterprises remain important contributors to the province's foreign trade growth. The foreign trade value of private enterprises grew by 4.8 percent to 314.93 billion yuan in the first nine months.

During this period, Anhui's trade with its major trading partners, the European Union, ASEAN and the United States, hit 84.65 billion yuan, 72.08 billion yuan and 71.32 billion yuan, respectively.

Exports of the province's mechanical and electrical products grew rapidly during this period, accounting for over 70 percent of the total export value, among which the export of vehicles surged 29.5 percent to 681,100 units -- ranking first in China.