KUNMING — Foreign trade of Southwest China's Yunnan province posted steady growth in 2020 thanks to a slew of supportive policies, local customs authorities said.

Yunnan's foreign trade rose 15.4 percent year-on-year to more than 268 billion yuan (about $41.4 billion) in 2020, according to Kunming Customs.

Of the total, its exports rose 46.4 percent year-on-year to 151.88 billion yuan, while imports dropped by 9.7 percent year-on-year to 116.16 billion yuan.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) remained Yunnan's largest trading partner, with foreign trade rising 7.6 percent year-on-year to more than 123 billion yuan. Meanwhile, trade with countries along the Belt and Road, the United States and the European Union also saw robust growth.

Private enterprises in Yunnan enjoyed a strong performance last year, with their imports and exports standing at nearly 153.18 billion yuan, an annual increase of 39.6 percent.