Beijing reports sharp foreign trade rise in first half year

China's capital Beijing reported 43.178 billion US dollars of foreign trade in the first six months this year, up 33.2 percent from the same period last year, according to customs figures.

The value of the city's imports in the first half year added up to 34.419 billion US dollars, up 39.9 percent over the same period last year, while the export volume added up to 8.759 billion US dollars, up 12.1 percent from the same period last year.

High-tech imports have maintained a sound growth momentum and the imports of energy materials have soared sharply.

Beijing exported 2.12 billion US dollars of high-tech products in the first half year, up 48.6 percent year-on-year. Due to the domestic shortage for energy and international oil price hike, Beijing imported 156 million US dollars worth of mineral fuel in the first half year, 6.6 times of the corresponding figure in the previous year.