China's foreign trade in new and high-tech products increased by 20.9 percent over the first four months of this year compared with the previous year's level, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

The trade volume amounted to 187.7 billion US dollars from January to April, or 29.5 percent of China's total external trade.

The export value of new and high-tech products went up 25.1 percent to 101.5 billion US dollars, or 29 percent of the nation's total exports, and import value up 16.4 percent to 86.3 billion US dollars, or 30.1 percent of the total.

Meanwhile, import and export of machinery and electronics grew at slower rates in the four-month period.

Foreign trade of such products amounted to 350.3 billion US dollars, or 55.1 percent of China's total external trade volume.

Exports went up 27.4 percent to 202 billion US dollars, and the growth rate was 5.2 percent lower. Imports rose 14.6 percent to 148.3 billion US dollars, and the growth rate was 14 percent slower.