An aerial view shows the Chuanshan port area of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port in Zhejiang province. [Photo/IC]

East China's Zhejiang province ranked first nationwide in trade with other member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the first seven months of this year, according to Hangzhou Customs on Aug 29.

From January to July, Zhejiang's imports and exports with SCO members reached 265.82 billion yuan ($37 billion), up 1.4 percent year-on-year and accounting for 12.6 percent of China's total trade with the bloc. Both imports and exports hit record highs for the same period, with exports standing at 220.75 billion yuan and imports at 45.07 billion yuan.

In 2024, Zhejiang's trade with SCO members totaled 456.72 billion yuan, 49.6 times that of 2001 when the organization was founded, representing an average annual growth rate of 18.5 percent.

India remained Zhejiang's largest export market among SCO members, with shipments reaching 87.13 billion yuan in the first seven months, nearly 40 percent of the province's total exports to the bloc. Russia was the largest source of imports, with goods valued at 27.18 billion yuan, up 16.9 percent and accounting for 60.3 percent of Zhejiang's total imports from SCO partners.

Agricultural trade has expanded significantly. Zhejiang's imports of farm products from SCO members grew 12.1 percent year-on-year, with tea up 83.1 percent, dried and fresh fruits and nuts up 104.3 percent, and rice imports soaring more than tenfold.

In the first half of the year, Zhejiang launched its first all-cargo air route to Uzbekistan, providing a fast channel for fresh fruit shipments.

At the same time, land-based trade has grown steadily thanks to the expansion of China-Europe freight trains and international road transport. From January to July, Zhejiang's land transport trade with SCO members reached 62.94 billion yuan, up 16.4 percent.