A cargo vessel docks at the Shulanghu Iron Ore Transfer Terminal in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/WeChat account: china-zjftz] 

Foreign trade of Zhoushan in East China's Zhejiang province showed steady growth in the first four months of the year, according to statistics from Zhoushan Customs. 

Total foreign trade arrived at 34.54 billion yuan ($5 billion) during the period, up 12.2 percent year on year. Exports increased by 16.8 percent to 13.22 billion yuan while imports increased by 9.6 percent to 21.32 billion yuan.

Oil, iron ore and bean imports took up the majority of the city's total imports, about 66.9 percent. Notably, iron ore imports saw a year-on-year increase of 50.6 percent, at 2.83 billion yuan, while oil and bean imports declined by 4.5 percent and 13.2 percent to reach 9.96 billion yuan and 1.46 billion yuan, respectively. 

In terms of exports, oil, ships and aquatic products were the main drivers behind the growth. Exports of the three accounted for 81.2 percent of the city's total.

Specifically, oil exports reached 4.54 billion yuan, up 17.2 percent, ship exports 3.54 billion yuan, up 10.3 percent, and aquatic products 2.65 billion, up 22.6 percent.