Automated trucks transport containers as cargo ships are loaded and unloaded at the busy Dapukou terminal in Jintang port area of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, Zhejiang province, on April 6. [Photo/IC]

Zhejiang province's economy remained stable from January to April, supported by strong performance in foreign trade, according to the Zhejiang Provincial Bureau of Statistics on May 21.

The province reported total goods trade of 1.75 trillion yuan ($243 billion), up 6.6 percent year-on-year. Exports rose 9.7 percent to 1.31 trillion yuan, while imports dipped 1.6 percent to 436.25 billion yuan — surpassing national growth rates across the board.

Private enterprises led with 1.42 trillion yuan in trade, accounting for 81.1 percent of the provincial total and growing 7.8 percent year-on-year.

Retail sales also grew steadily. In April, Zhejiang's total retail sales of consumer goods reached 282.4 billion yuan, up 5.4 percent. From January to April, retail sales totaled 1.21 trillion yuan, marking a 4.7 percent increase.

The logistics sector saw robust activity. April freight volume rose 7 percent to 330 million metric tons, with road and water transport up 8.5 and 3.9 percent, respectively. Freight turnover climbed 8.4 percent to 143 billion ton-kilometers. Cumulative freight volume and turnover grew 7.3 and 10 percent, respectively.

Passenger transport also improved. April saw 54.05 million travelers, up 4.7 percent year-on-year. Railway transport rose 7.2 percent, while total passenger turnover increased 4.1 percent to 8.77 billion person-kilometers.