Closer economic co-operation in the Pan Pearl River Delta region (PPRD) has helped the region's inland provinces boost their foreign trade.

Yunnan and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region had an export and import volume of US$2.3 billion and US$2.42 billion in the first six months this year, a year-on-year increase of 37.3 per cent and 30.5 per cent respectively.

Apart from Hainan, Fujian and Guizhou, exports in the PPRD's other six provinces and region all enjoyed year-on-year growth of more than 20 per cent in the first half of the year.

Fujian Province had a foreign trade volume of US$25.38 billion from January to June, up year-on-year by 13 per cent.

The PPRD co-operation, initiated by Guangdong provincial government and launched in June last year, involves nine mainland provinces and autonomous regions, plus Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

The PPRD, also known as 9+2, covers the provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, Hunan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Hainan and Yunnan and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The good trade performance shown by the inland provinces helped the region reach a total foreign trade volume of US$227.19 billion between January and June, according to an official from Guangdong Customs yesterday.

The figure represents a year-on-year increase of 16.6 per cent and accounted for 35.2 per cent of the country's total foreign trade.

The PPRD sold US$126.76 billion worth of products abroad, while overseas purchases came to US$100.43 billion, up year-on-year 23 per cent and 9.4 per cent respectively.

The PPRD had a foreign trade surplus of US$26.33 billion, representing 66.5 per cent of China's total trade surplus in the first half of the year.

The trading bloc's import and export volume from the processing industry came to US$138.77 billion, a year-on-year increase of 15.9 per cent.

"Speciality products have played an important role," said Wu Sihai, the official from Guangdong Customs.

Hunan and Guangxi sold US$53 million and US$29 million worth of fireworks and firecrackers abroad in the first half the year.

Yunnan's tobacco exports came to US$56 million in the first six months.

And Fujian and Hainan also sold US$91 million and US$40 million worth of aquatic products to overseas countries and regions in the six months ending in June.

The United States and the European Union were major trading partners with the bloc, Wu told China Daily yesterday.

The PPRD's foreign trade volume with the United States and the EU reached US$35.61 and US$28.29 billion, up by 20.5 per cent and 20.9 per cent respectively from last year.

Exports to India enjoyed a big year-on-year increase of 96.5 per cent to hit US$1.04 billion.

India has become the 10th largest trade partner of the PPRD.

Economic ties between the PPRD and the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is witnessing sustainable growth.

ASEAN has become an important exporter of energy and raw materials to the PPRD, said Wu. The bloc purchased finished oil, liquefied petroleum, gas and coal valued at US$530 million, US$160 million and US$150 million respectively in the first half of the year.

And ASEAN countries also sold logs, timber and natural rubber worth of US$190 million, US$150 million and US$120 million respectively to the PPRD.

The region's foreign trade with ASEAN countries hit US$21.22 billion in the first six months, up 14.7 per cent from last year.

The PPRD purchased US$13.46 billion worth of products from ASEAN countries while its export to those countries was US$7.75 billion, up 8.4 per cent and 27.5 per cent respectively.

Editor: Yan