KUNMING — Southwest China's Yunnan province saw its foreign trade volume reach 224.11 billion yuan (about $34.85 billion) in the first three quarters of 2021, up 37.7 percent year-on-year, according to local customs.

Its exports increased 52.4 percent year-on-year to 117.93 billion yuan while imports climbed 24.4 percent to 106.18 billion yuan during the period, according to customs authorities in the provincial capital Kunming.

ASEAN remains the largest trade partner of the province. Its imports and exports with ASEAN countries grew 16.7 percent year-on-year to 91.46 billion yuan, accounting for 40.8 percent of Yunnan's total foreign trade volume from January to September. Among these countries, the province saw its foreign trade with Thailand and Laos surge by 44.1 percent and 58.7 percent year-on-year to 10.65 billion yuan and 6.98 billion yuan, respectively.

Notably, the private sector contributed 121.18 billion yuan to foreign trade, up 49.9 percent year-on-year, accounting for 54.1 percent of the province's total.