The foreign trade export volume of the Xiaoshan district of Hangzhou, in Zhejiang province, remained on the path to stable growth in the first half of this year by expanding 5.42 percent year-on-year to nearly 30.2 billion yuan ($4.39 billion), according to statistics released by the Xiaoshan business bureau.

From January to June, the district exported goods worth 6.21 billion yuan to the European Union, up 10.6 percent year-on-year and accounting for 20.6 percent of the total export value of Hangzhou. That dynamic saw EU top the United States to become Xiaoshan's biggest export market.

Aside from the EU, other emerging international markets -- including ASEAN, Latin America, Africa, southeast Asia and central Asia -- are also major players driving forward the district's foreign trade exports.

Statistics revealed that Xiaoshan's export trade with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative rose 9.8 percent to 11.48 billion yuan during the period, accounting for 38 percent of the total.

Exports to ASEAN, Latin America, and Africa climbed 5.9 percent, 0.6 percent and 3.5 percent respectively.

Faced with the complex international economic situation, Hangzhou's private enterprises continue to unleash their power in foreign trade development, exporting 24.32 billion yuan during the first six months, contributing 80.5 percent of the district's total.