The province of Jilin in Northeast China reports the value of imports and exports of goods in the first half, which totaled 62.19 billion yuan ($8.89 billion), according to a news conference on July 28.

Officials said the proportion of general trade imports and exports continued to grow.

The value of general trade imports and exports was 54.75 billion yuan, an increase of 0.4 percent, accounting for 88 percent of the province's total import and export value in the same period.

The province's main import and export markets were the European Union (EU), Japan, ASEAN, South Korea, Mexico, the United States and Russia.

Among these, imports and exports to Japan grew rapidly to 6.88 billion yuan, an increase of 33.1 percent against the same period last year.

The EU remained the largest trading partner with Jilin province, with 32.24 billion yuan in imports and exports to the EU, accounting for 51.8 percent of the province's total.

Meanwhile, the province's imports and exports to countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative was 17.62 billion yuan in the first half.

In addition, private companies in the province reported imports and exports of 13.69 billion yuan -- while the main import and export commodities of mechanical and electrical products, as well as agricultural products, saw rapid growth.

Officials said that the province would continue to promote foreign trade -- while maintaining strict novel coronavirus epidemic prevention and control measures -- as well as continue to improve its business environment and help local companies open up to international markets.