China-ASEAN trade volume hits record high in 2017

Bilateral trade totaled 514.8 billion U.S. dollars last year, up 13.8 percent year on year, the fastest growth pace between China and any of its major trading partners.

File photo of the Fangchenggang Port in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. [Photo: VCG]

China's exports to ASEAN countries reached 279.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2017, up 9 percent year on year, while imports grew 20 percent year-on-year to stand at 235.7 billion U.S. dollars.

China registered a trade surplus of 43.4 billion U.S. dollars with ASEAN countries, narrowing by 27.4 percent from 2016.

Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand were China's top trading partners in the region last year. Vietnam was China's biggest export destination while China imported more goods from Malaysia than other ASEAN countries.

China saw robust foreign trade in 2017, which ended the drops of the previous two years by gaining 14.2 percent year on year.