URUMQI, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The foreign trade volume of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region grew over 40 percent year on year in the first four months of 2017, local authorities said Saturday.
Urumqi Customs data showed that Xinjiang's trade value reached 6.6 billion U.S. dollars in the first four months, up 46.7 percent year on year.
Exported goods, mainly textiles, shoes and mechanical parts, reached 5.7 billion dollars, up 47.7 percent year on year.
Imported goods, including farm produce and paper pulp, stood at 900 million dollars, up 40.2 percent year on year.
Countries along the Belt and Road including Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, India and Germany are Xinjiang's major trade partners.
Analysts said increasing global demand and improved transportation were among the factors contributing to the growth.
