Statistics from Chongqing Customs show that, in the first six months of 2012, the city’s foreign trade value reached US$25.04bn, up 170 per cent year-on-year. This ranked Chongqing first nationally in terms of foreign trade growth, and 12th in terms of absolute value.

Exports reached US$18.15bn, 2.5 times year-on-year, while imports valued at $6.89bn, up 77 per cent.

The biggest growth driver for exports was laptop production, and nearly half of foreign trade was conducted by the private sector.