A new transnational railway line for cargo linking Haidong, Qinghai province, Shigatse, Tibet autonomous region, and Kathmandu, Nepal, opened recently. [Photo provided to Chinadaily.com.cn]
 

LHASA -- Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region saw its foreign trade surge 10 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2022, according to new data from local customs.

 

Tibet's imports and exports totaled nearly 1.14 billion yuan ($174 million) in the period, Lhasa Customs said in a statement.

 

Total exports reached nearly 1.07 billion yuan and imports hit 65 million yuan, with a trade surplus of over 1 billion yuan.

 

In the first quarter, private enterprises were the major engines behind the stable trade growth, with their trade value up 210 percent from the year-earlier level to nearly 1.11 billion yuan.

 

The region conducted trade with 86 countries and regions around the world during the period. Its respective trade values with members of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and countries along the Belt and Road hit 156 million yuan and 610 million yuan, said Yuan Jintao, an official from Lhasa Customs.