Private enterprises of east China's Shandong Province played an important role in provincial foreign trade this year, said Wang Renyuan, vice governor of Shandong Province.

According to statistics released by Qingdao customs office, the gross import and export turnover of Shandong private enterprises from January to November this year amounted to US$2.3 billion, 190 percent higher than last year.

Speaking at the provincial economy and foreign trade conference, Wang said that in 2003, Shandong had sped up the reform of state-owned enterprises' economic systems, and the provincial government had taken a series of measures to remove policy obstacles so that more private enterprises could participate in foreign trade.

The total foreign trade turnover of Shandong Province in the first 11 months was US$39.6 billion, in which the contribution by private enterprises increased by 3.2 percent over the same period last year.

(Xinhua News Agency December 29, 2003)