Containers stockpiled at a port in Huzhou, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/hz66.com]

Huzhou's imports and exports were valued at 73.57 billion yuan ($11.31 billion) in the first half of this year, up 46.4 percent year-on-year, according to a press conference held by Huzhou Customs.

The growth rate was the highest in East China's Zhejiang province over this period.

Specifically, the city's exports expanded 50.5 percent to 67.63 billion yuan, while imports stood at 5.94 billion yuan, a rise of 11.5 percent year-on-year.

Huzhou has seen positive growth in foreign trade for 15 months since April of last year.

The city's Anji county took the lion's share of exports during the six-month period, accounting for 33.3 percent of the city’s total.

Wuxing district, meanwhile, contributed the largest portion of the city's imports, importing 1.95 billion yuan in goods.

Thanks to the implementation of the market procurement trade model, Wuxing has also seen rapid growth in exports.

In mid-September of last year, a total of 17 markets nationwide, including the Huzhou (Zhili) children's clothing and consumer goods trading management center in Wuxing, were designated as national pilot zones for market procurement trade.