The value of foreign trade in Liaoning province reached US$48.39 billion last year, an increase of 18 per cent compared with that of 2005, statistics of Dalian Customs showed.

Foreign invested companies dominated foreign trade from Liaoning in 2006 with export value and import value up 12.5 per cent and 11.8 per cent to US$15 billion and US$12.23 billion respectively. This accounted for the 53 per cent and 61 per cent respectively of export and import value of the province.

Export value surged 20.8 per cent to US$28.32 billion while import value grew 14.2 per cent to US$20.07 billion, according to statistics.

Major trading partners included Japan, South Korea and the United States. ExportS to Japan were up 9.2 per cent to US$6.89 billion while imports from Japan dropped 4.8 per cent to US$3.99 billion.

Exports to South Korea increased 16.9 per cent to US$3.37 billion while importS from the country to Liaoning rose 9.9 per cent to US$2.26 billion.

Exports to the US surged 25 per cent to US$4.19 billion, while imports fell 10 per cent to US$1.16 billion.