Total foreign trade turnover in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province, reached 3.361 billion US dollars in January, increasing 29.3 percent year on year, according to statistics from Zhangjiagang’s Bureau of Commerce.

The increase set a single-month record.

Export volumes reached 1.294 billion US dollars and imports were 2.067 billion US dollars, increasing 26 percent and 31.5 percent from the previous year respectively.

Imports of iron ore, chemicals and soybeans rose the most. 4 million tons of iron ore were imported to the city, increasing 42.96 percent from last year.

According to the yearly plan of soybean imports of the East Ocean Oils & Grains Industries (Zhangjiagang) Company, the importation of soybeans is increasing. In the first month of the year, 219,000 tons of soybeans worth 128 million US dollars were imported, increasing 65.6 percent year on year.

Export trade volumes to the US, European Union, Japan and Korea reached 2.2 million, 191 million, 114 million and 124 million US dollars respectively, increasing 30.76 percent, 32.43 percent, 46.03 percent and 31.29 percent.

41 out of the top 60 foreign trade companies in the city saw their businesses rise in January.