Statistics indicate that Xiamen's import and export volume increased 5.5 percent year-on-year to 607.11 billion yuan ($87.16 billion) from January to August, hitting a record high.

During the same period, its import volume reached 297.8 billion yuan and its export volume hit 309.31 billion yuan.

In August alone, the city's import and export volume reached 83.8 billion yuan.

During the first eight months, the city's private companies achieved a total import and export volume of 234.03 billion yuan, an increase of 12.3 percent, and accounted for 38.5 percent of the city's total.

Statistics also show that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the United States, and the European Union were Xiamen's top three trade partners in the first eight months of this year. Their import and export volumes with Xiamen hit 115.23 billion yuan, 87.13 billion yuan, and 70.14 billion yuan, and increased 13.7 percent, 15.4 percent, and 12.1 percent, respectively.

In addition, Xiamen's import and export volume with other four BRICS countries – Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa – grew 26.2 percent year-on-year to 59.39 billion yuan during the January-to-August period.

According to statistics, mechanical and electrical products, as well as labor-intensive products were the major exports during the January-to-August period, amounting to 132.27 billion yuan and 89.75 billion yuan, respectively.

During the same period, mechanical and electrical products, agricultural produce, and iron ore were the major imports, reaching 57.75 billion yuan, 54.74 billion yuan, and 31 billion yuan, and accounted for 19.4 percent, 18.4 percent, and 10.4 percent of the city's total, respectively.