SHIJIAZHUANG - Foreign trade in North China's Hebei province increased 2.4 percent year-on-year to about 407.8 billion yuan ($56.3 billion) in the first three quarters of 2022, customs statistics showed.

Its exports totaled over 248.6 billion yuan, up 14 percent year-on-year, and imports hit around 159.1 billion yuan, down 11.6 percent, according to Shijiazhuang Customs.

Notably, the province's foreign trade with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations gained 32.3 percent year-on-year to approximately 52.9 billion yuan during the period.

From January to September, nearly 40 percent of Hebei's total exports were contributed by its mechanical and electrical products. The export volume of mechanical and electrical products grew by 20.3 percent year-on-year to about 93.5 billion yuan.