Foshan reaps benefits of shifts in focus

A well-developed economic structure and an increasingly open investment environment have helped the traditional southern manufacturing city of Foshan, in Guangdong province, to a significant rise in trade in the first three quarters of the year.

According to the latest customs figures, its trade volume increased by 11.4 percent year-on-year to $48.8 billion in the first nine months, a much higher rate than the national average of 3.3 percent in the period. Its exports, specifically, rose by 12.3 percent year-on-year to $33.2 billion.

"In contrast to the relatively lower growth in trade by most cities, as overseas demand weakens, Foshan fared better this year because of an active, substantial economy," said Lu Yi, the Pearl River Delta city's acting mayor.