Foreign trade in economically-developed Jiangsu province in eastern China totaled $174.29 billion in the first five months of the year, a 50 percent year-on-year increase.

Exports amounted to $98.71 billion, up 42.7 percent, while imports totaled $75.58 billion, up 61 percent.

The province accounted for 15.8 percent of China's total foreign trade in the five-month period, up 0.6 percentage points.

The province's trade with the European Union reached $32.06 billion in the January to May period, up 47.9 percent.