Statistics from Zhanjiang Customs showed that Zhanjiang's trade value with African countries totaled 1.3 billion yuan ($189.1 million) from January to July, a year-on-year increase of 37.4 percent.

Export value grew by 32.7 percent to 1.05 billion yuan, while import value surged by 61.1 percent to 250 million yuan.

General trade made up the bulk of the city's trade with Africa. It increased by 6.2 percent to 940 million yuan in the first seven months of 2018, accounting for 72.2 percent of total trade.

Private enterprises were the major contributors to the trade growth, increasing 53.7 percent from the previous year and accounting for 82.8 percent of total trade. The trade value of local foreign-invested enterprises with Africa was recorded at 73.67 million yuan, representing a whopping 99.6 percent increase.

South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya are Zhanjiang's top three African trading partners, accounting for a combined 51 percent of the city's total trade with Africa.

Zhanjiang's aquatic and marine products are popular in international markets. [Photo by Huang Zhigang, Liu Wei/customs.gov.cn]

Local aquatic and marine products, as well as traditional labor-intensive products, were popular in African markets. Zhanjiang exported a total of 210 million yuan in aquatic and marine products, 200 million yuan in textiles and garments, and 170 million yuan in furniture during the January-July period.

Imports consist mainly of agricultural and mineral products, such as sugar, fish meal (ground dried fish used for animal feed and fertilizer), and chromium ore.

Two Zhanjiang Customs officials inspect an aquatic enterprise. [Photo by Huang Zhigang, Liu Wei/customs.gov.cn]