Authorities in East China's Zhejiang province recently announced that the province's imports and exports totaled 2.71 trillion yuan ($401.9 billion) from January to July in 2022, up 19.5 percent year on year.

From January to July 2022, Zhejiang's imports and exports to the top three trade markets (the EU, United States and Association of Southeast Asian Nations) were 446.96 billion yuan, 400.40 billion yuan and 360.46 billion yuan, respectively, which together accounted for 44.6 percent of the total value of Zhejiang's imports and exports, driving the province's foreign trade growth by 9.0 percentage points.

During the same period, export activities to countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative reached 966.71 billion yuan, a year-on-year growth of 23.9 percent, accounting for 35.7 percent of the province's total import and export value.

Exports of high-tech products in Zhejiang reached 204.99 billion yuan, an increase of 40.2 percent year on year, accounting for 10.2 percent of the province's total export value, driving the province's export growth by 3.6 percentage points.

Specifically, imports of crude oil, natural gas, coal and other energy products increased 87.9 percent over the previous year to 112.91 billion yuan.

In addition, imports and exports of the comprehensive protection zone in the province was 87.74 billion yuan, an increase of 25.1 percent year on year.