SHENZHEN exported 1.6 trillion yuan (US$233.18 billion) worth of goods in 2016, retaining the crown as the largest exporter among mainland cities for a 24th consecutive year, Shenzhen Customs said Wednesday.

    Total import and export volume reach 2.6 trillion yuan last year, according to customs figures. The foreign trade volume stabilized quarter by quarter, with the export of labor-intensive products regaining growth.

    A total of 525.13 billion yuan worth of textiles, furniture, suitcases and bags, shoes, plastic utensils and toys, all traditional labor-intensive products, were exported from Shenzhen and Huizhou last year, showing a rise of 8.7 percent from 2015.

    Shenzhen Customs reported rapid growth in imports. A total of 81.63 billion yuan worth of consumer goods were imported last year, growing 8.9 percent from 2015. Food, cigarettes, wine and alcohol were the most imported goods, amounting to 50.48 billion yuan and surging 61.8 percent year on year, while domestic devices plunged 29.8 percent to 4.23 billion yuan, including 2.94 billion yuan worth of electronics and electrical appliances.

    Shenzhen Customs attributed the growth in imported consumer goods to rising domestic demand and reductions in import duties. China lowered the import duties for garments, shoes, kitchen utensils, skin-care products, medical products, nuts and baby formula by 10 to 18 percent at the beginning of 2016. The emerging cross-border e-commerce also boosted the import of consumer goods, customs said.

    Shenzhen Customs said it introduced measures last year to facilitate foreign trade and lend support to free trade zones and cross-border e-commerce, as part of efforts to stabilize and boost foreign trade. Shenzhen’s foreign trade witnessed a slowdown in 2014 and 2015 due to a sluggish world economy.

    (Lin Min)