Quzhou's imports and exports hit 38.98 billion yuan ($6 billion) in the first 10 months of this year, up 39.7 percent year-on-year, official statistics from Quzhou Customs show.

The growth rate was the highest among cities in Zhejiang and 17.2 percentage points higher than the provincial average during this period.

Specifically, its exports totaled 24.34 billion yuan, rising by 26.3 percent year-on-year, while its import volume amounted to 14.64 billion yuan, an uptick of 69.9 percent.

In October alone, Quzhou's foreign trade volume expanded by 24.5 percent year-on-year to 3.92 billion yuan.

From January to October, its trade with the United States and the European Union stood at 4.62 billion yuan and 4.2 billion yuan, up 13.5 percent and 35.8 percent respectively, while its trade volume with emerging markets including ASEAN, Latin America, Africa and CEEC was valued at 3.75 billion yuan, 6.44 billion yuan, 3.13 billion yuan and 730 million yuan respectively.

In addition, the city's trade with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative rose 18.9 percent to 9.76 billion yuan over the 10-month period.

Exports of mechanical and electrical products, basic organic chemicals, paper pulp, and high-tech products registered a growth of over 20 percent.

Imports of iron ore and concentrate, mechanical and electrical products and high-tech products also grew two-fold.

A total of 1,099 businesses from the city were involved in foreign trade over the period, up 5.4 percent year-on-year.

Private enterprises were still the main engine fueling the city's foreign trade growth. Their imports and exports from January to October totaled 31.88 billion yuan, accounting for 81.8 percent of the city's total.