SHIJIAZHUANG, Jan. 24 -- Total foreign trade value of north China's Hebei Province reached 581.84 billion yuan (about 81.89 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023, up 7.4 percent year on year, local customs said.

Data showed that Hebei's foreign trade operated well last year, with the combined value of imports and exports in the fourth quarter hitting a record high of 172.62 billion yuan.

The foreign trade value generated by private enterprises in Hebei grew 4.7 percent to 370.86 billion yuan in 2023, accounting for 63.7 percent of the province's total, according to the customs of Shijiazhuang, capital of the province.

In terms of export commodities, mechanical and electrical products accounted for nearly half of the province's total. In 2023, the export value of mechanical and electrical products amounted to 162.73 billion yuan, an increase of 33.1 percent.

Meanwhile, eco-friendly and low-carbon products, including electric manned vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and solar cells, contributed a total of 19.53 billion yuan to exports, up 110 percent year on year.

As China's domestic demand continued to recover, Hebei saw its imports of bulk commodities and livelihood commodities expand last year, with the import value of consumer goods reaching 8.69 billion yuan in 2023, an increase of 44.6 percent year on year.