CHANGSHA -- Central China's Hunan province saw robust growth in its foreign trade in the first four months of 2023, according to the customs of Changsha, the provincial capital.

The foreign trade value reached 243.65 billion yuan ($35 billion) in the province from January to April, up 49.6 percent year-on-year, Changsha Customs said Sunday.

It added that the export value increased by 58.7 percent year-on-year to 172.93 billion yuan, while the import rose 31.1 percent year-on-year to 70.71 billion yuan.

In that period, the province's trade value with its major trading partners -- the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the United States and the European Union -- reached 53.78 billion yuan, 25.52 billion yuan and 20.66 billion yuan, respectively.

Hunan's trade value with countries along the Belt and Road totaled 97.31 billion yuan, up 76.2 percent, accounting for 69 percent of the province's total foreign trade value, while its trade with the other members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership during the period totaled 79.64 billion yuan, an increase of 43.9 percent year-on-year.