The economically booming Guangdong Province in south China realized US$277.1 billion in foreign trade in the first seven months of this year, ranking the country's first place.

The amount represented a year-on-year growth of 24.1 percent, a bit higher than that for the nation's total foreign trade, local customs sources said.

Between January and July, Guangdong sold abroad US$156.3 billion worth of goods, up 27.5 percent; and imported US$120.7 billion worth, up 20 percent.

The trade surplus amounted to US$35.62 billion, or 46.8 percent, of China's total.

Over the past seven months, processing trade made up US$181.99 billion, or 65.7 percent, of Guangdong's total external trade, the customs sources said.

The private sector recorded a fast foreign-trade growth. Between January and July, the sector's import and export volume went up 43.5 percent over the year-earlier level to US$38.36 billion.

(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2006)