HEFEI — Foreign trade in East China's Anhui province registered a record high in the first half of 2021, climbing to over 320.5 billion yuan (about $49.4 billion), according to a provincial government press conference on July 16.

The figure was a 31.5 percent increase from the same period the previous year.

Exports rose 34.5 percent to approximately 186.3 billion yuan, while imports grew 27.7 percent to approximately 134.3 billion yuan.

Over the period, Anhui's trade with the European Union, the United States, and ASEAN — its top three trading partners — hit 41.89 billion yuan, 41.85 billion yuan, and 36.31 billion yuan, respectively, up 30.5 percent, 16.8 percent, and 37.6 percent.

Exports to countries along the Belt and Road soared by 46.2 percent to 82.92 billion yuan.

Exports of household appliances totaled 18.34 billion yuan in the first half, an increase of 31.2 percent. Exports of liquid crystal display panels and automobiles respectively totaled 7.49 billion yuan and 7.28 billion yuan, up 2.6 times and 1.7 times.

Imports of high-tech products rose 19.8 percent to 42.56 billion yuan in the first half, while imports of major metallic mineral ores also chalked up growth.