Tai'an, a city in Shandong province, witnessed a remarkable surge in foreign trade during the first four months of 2024, with total imports and exports reaching 15.31 billion yuan ($2.11 billion), a substantial 38.5 percent increase compared to the same period in the previous year. This impressive growth rate outpaced the provincial average by 32.5 percentage points and placed Tai'an second among all cities in the province in terms of growth rate.

Exports from Tai'an surged by 37.6 percent to 12.69 billion yuan, outpacing the provincial average by 26.9 percentage points and ranking third among all cities in the province.

Imports, on the other hand, grew by 42.9 percent to 2.62 billion yuan, securing the city's position as the top performer in the province with a growth rate 43.7 percentage points higher than the provincial average.

This robust growth was driven by a significant increase in the trade of key products. Exports of mechanical and electrical products reached 4.88 billion yuan, representing a 37.1 percent increase and accounting for 38.4 percent of all exports. Imports of metallic ores soared by 25.9 percent to 920 million yuan, constituting 35.1 percent of all imports.