The booming Zhejiang Province in east China recorded 28.05 billion U.S. dollars in foreign trade in the first quarter, rising 24.7 percent from the same period last year.

The total included 20.32 billion U.S. dollars in export value and 7.73 billion U.S. dollars in import value, up 29.9 percent and 12.9 percent respectively, statistics of the customs in the provincial capital of Hangzhou showed.

The trade surplus amounted to 12.59 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 54 percent of China's total and ranking first across the country, the statistics said.

The surplus increased by 3.78 billion U.S. dollars or 42.9 percent compared with a year earlier.

Between January and March, foreign-funded enterprises made up 11.84 billion U.S.dollars, or 42.2 percent, of the province's total external trade, while local private businesses accounted for 7.86 billion U.S.dollars, or 28 percent.

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