HARBIN, Dec. 23 -- China's northernmost province of Heilongjiang saw its foreign trade grow 13.3 percent year on year to 268.37 billion yuan (about 37.82 billion U.S. dollars) in the first 11 months of 2023, said local customs.

During this period, Heilongjiang's imports rose 6.3 percent year on year to 202.13 billion yuan, while its exports surged 41.9 percent to 66.24 billion yuan, data from Harbin Customs showed.

The province's trade with Belt and Road partner countries reached 226.93 billion yuan, up 13 percent year on year, accounting for 84.6 percent of the province's total foreign trade value. Its trade with members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership rose 16.1 percent to 23.6 billion yuan.

Its exports of mechanical and electrical products, labor-intensive products, and agricultural products maintained strong growth during this period. The province also saw an increase in imports of agricultural products, metal ore, and ore sand