(Yicai Global) May 23 -- Six administrative regions in China, including Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces, as well as Shanghai and Beijing, accounted for nearly 70 percent of the country's total foreign trade last month.

The group of six also has Zhejiang and Shandong provinces and each of them recorded exports and imports exceeding CNY1 trillion (USD141.8 billion), The Paper reported today. The southern powerhouse of Guangdong ranked first, followed by Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai.

From January to April, Guangdong logged CNY2.5 trillion in imports and exports, down almost 1 percent from a year ago. Exports rose by 5 percent to CNY1.7 trillion while imports fell by 11 percent to CNY841.5 billion (USD119.3 billion).

The Guangdong arm of the General Administration of Customs said that imports and exports edged down from a year ago because of weakened overseas demand and a high base number from a year earlier.

In the first four months of this year, foreign trade in Jiangsu fell 2 percent to CNY1.6 trillion but the pace of shrinking slowed from the first quarter. Zhejiang's value of shipments rose by 8 percent to CNY1.56 trillion, growing faster. Jiangsu's exports even surged to a record high of CNY1.1 trillion.

Shanghai boosted its foreign trade by 14 percent to CNY1.4 trillion while Beijing added 7 percent to reach CNY1.2 trillion, and both rates surpassed the national average of 5.8 percent.

In April, Shanghai’s imports and exports recovered by 58 percent to CNY346.6 billion (USD49.1 billion), or the same level as in 2021, according to customs data. Exports of electric cars almost tripled, those of lithium batteries nearly quadrupled, and that of solar cells almost doubled.

From January to April, Shandong’s imports and exports rose by 7 percent to CNY1.03 trillion as collaboration with emerging markets deepened. Trade with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations jumped 19 percent to CNY197.9 billion. That with countries along the Belt and Road Initiative tallied CNY422.7 billion, up 23 percent, and that with members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, including Australia and South Korea, was CNY393.1 billion, up 11 percent.

Editor: Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi