TIANJIN, Aug. 2 -- North China's Tianjin port saw its foreign trade increase by 2.2 percent year on year to 954.03 billion yuan (about 133.14 billion U.S. dollars) in the first half of 2023, according to Tianjin Customs.

From January to June, the port's trade volume with the countries along the Belt and Road totaled 318.64 billion yuan, up 5.5 percent year on year, according to Tan Xuliang, deputy head of Tianjin Customs.

Private enterprises contributed 516.93 billion yuan of the total trade volume, up 10.8 percent year on year, Tan said.

The Tianjin port ranked first among the country's other ports in aircraft imports as a total of 53 aircraft were imported during the period.

Its exports of mechanical and electrical products grew 18.7 percent to 216.47 billion yuan in the first half.