A merchant displays licensed and original 2026 FIFA World Cup-themed plush keychains at the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, Jinhua, Zhejiang province, on June 20. [Photo/IC]

Zhejiang's economy remained generally stable in May, with new growth drivers gaining momentum and resilience continuing to show, according to data released by the Zhejiang Provincial Bureau of Statistics on June 22.

In the first five months, the province's imports and exports reached 2.38 trillion yuan ($349.65 billion), up 6.2 percent year-on-year, while imports rose 6.9 percent to 580 billion yuan. The two figures accounted for 11.5 percent and 6.7 percent of the national totals, respectively.

Trade with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative reached 1.35 trillion yuan, up 5.0 percent and accounting for 56.6 percent of Zhejiang's total foreign trade.

Private enterprises remained the main driver. Their imports and exports reached 1.96 trillion yuan, up 7.1 percent, accounting for 82.4 percent of the provincial total and contributing 5.8 percentage points to overall trade growth.

Retail sales of consumer goods reached 341.5 billion yuan in May, up 0.9 percent year-on-year. Sales of quality-oriented goods performed well, with retail sales of wearable smart devices, smartphones, and cosmetics rising 3.4-fold, 26.3 percent, and 18.2 percent, respectively.

In the first five months, Zhejiang's retail sales of consumer goods reached 1.59 trillion yuan, up 2.9 percent.