BEIJING, Feb. 7 -- China has maintained its position as the world's largest trading nation in goods during the past eight years, the country's customs regulator said Friday.

The nation's total goods imports and exports surpassed 43 trillion yuan (about 6 trillion U.S. dollars) for the first time last year, up 5 percent year on year, according to Sun Meijun, Party chief of the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

In 2024, the GAC introduced and implemented 16 measures aimed at further optimizing the business environment at ports and facilitating trade for enterprises throughout the year, Sun said at a national customs work conference.

Tariff reductions and various types of tariff preference measures were enforced, resulting in a total tax reduction or refunding of 282.9 billion yuan, Sun said.

Last year, 111 types of agricultural products from 62 countries and regions were authorized for import into China, 14 ports were newly opened or took further opening-up measures, and seven bonded logistics centers were established, according to Sun.

While pushing forward with existing policies and measures, the GAC would introduce special measures to promote foreign trade, Sun added.