Huzhou's imports and exports were valued at 113.22 billion yuan ($17.42 billion) in 2020, an increase of 20.4 percent year-on-year, according to official data from the local customs authorities.

The growth rate was the second highest in East China's Zhejiang province.

Specifically, the city's exports reached 102.58 billion yuan, a rise of 22.3 percent year-on-year, higher than any other city in the province.

The positive growth was mainly due to local authorities' efforts in helping local foreign trade enterprises weather the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Last year, the local government allocated a total of 6.88 billion yuan it promised to help enterprises deal with the pandemic's negative impact, benefiting 7,720 foreign trade companies.

Efforts have also been made to help enterprises expand their markets.

The nation's first online exhibition platform was inaugurated in Huzhou, which now accommodates 21,000 enterprises.

Enterprises were organized to attend various online fairs, including the Canton Fair and the East China Fair, to seek business opportunities.

In 2020, a total of 98 events were also launched by the city to support foreign trade companies to tap into the domestic market. As a result, more than 1,900 companies secured orders with a combined contractual value of 960 million yuan.

More than 5 million pieces of anti-COVID-19 pandemic materials, such as masks and disinfectant, were provided to foreign trade companies to help them resume work after the COVID-19 outbreak.

A team composed of 1,260 officials was also established to visit those companies and help them solve problems more efficiently.

The time that Huzhou enterprises comprehensively resumed work was a week earlier than the provincial average, an official report showed.