OREANDA-NEWS. November 15, 2011. Anhui province ranked 14th in China with Jan.- Sep.foreign trade of USD 23.04 billion, an increase of 33.4 percent from a year earlier, customs authorities said.

The province's imports increased 26.3 percent year-on-year to USD 10.63 billion, while exports jumped 40.0 percent year-on-year to USD 12.41 billion from January to September.

The growth rates of the province's imports and exports were 8.8 percentage points and 17.3 percentage points higher than the national levels, respectively.

Exports of garments, textiles and shoes continued to increase during the Jan.-Sep.period. Meanwhile, export in emerging industries gained momentum and foreign trade of some agricultural products grew at a comparatively rapid pace.

The foreign trade growth was partly fueled by new market expansion. During the first three quarters, Brazil saw such a booming trade with the inland province of China that it became its fifth trading partner. The province also boosted foreign trade with Association of Southeast Asian Nations partly by hiking exports by 54.6 percent year-on-year to USD 1.22 billion.

From January to September, cities of Tongling, Fuyang and Huangshan each increased their exports by 120 percent, 110 percent and 78 percent, representing the highest year-on-year growth rates in the province.

Huainan, Fuyang and Bengbu saw the highest import growth rates of 170 percent, 140 percent and 120 percent year-on-year, respectively.

Hefei, capital city of Anhui province contributed 38.71 percent of the province's total foreign trade, or USD 8.92 billion, up 24.01 percent year-on-year.