BEIJING -- Latest customs data indicated Thursday China's exports to emerging markets have been expanding, suggesting a decreasing reliance on demand from developed economies.

The General Administration of Customs announced Thursday that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, Latin America and Africa accounted for 9 percent, 6.4 percent, and 3.8 percent of China's exports in 2011, up from 7.2 percent, 2.9 percent and 2.1 percent, respectively, in 2002.

Chinese exports to India and Russia in 2011 rose by 1.8 and 1 percent from 2002, respectively, according to the data.

Exports to the United States and Japan dropped by 4.4 and 7.1 percent in 2011 compared to 2002, respectively, the data showed.

The United States and Japan are China's second-largest and fourth-largest trading partners.

Exports to the European Union, China's largest trading partner, rose by 2.5 percent last year compared to 2002, the data showed.

In 2011, the trade volume of China's private firms accounted for 28 percent of China's total, up 19.4 percentage points from 2002, while that of state-owned firms accounted for 20.9 percent, down 17.3 percentage points?from 2002, the data showed.

Last year, the trade volume of foreign-invested firms in China accounted for 51.1 percent of the total, down by 2.1 percentage points?from 2002, the data showed.