China's foreign trade grew by 2.1 percent year-on-year to 20.1 trillion yuan ($2.8 trillion) in the first half of 2023, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Thursday.

China's exports rose 3.7 percent on a yearly basis to 11.46 trillion yuan between January and June, while its imports dropped 0.1 percent year-on-year to 8.64 trillion yuan, the administration added.

In the meantime, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations remained China's largest trading partner. Their total imports and exports expanded 5.4 percent year-on-year to 3.08 trillion yuan, accounting for 15.3 percent of China's total foreign trade volume.

China's saw its exports of electro-mechanical products increase by 6.3 percent on a yearly basis to 6.66 trillion yuan in the first half, taking up 58.2 percent of its exports, about 1.4 percentage points higher year-on-year.

Source: China Daily