Tianjin's foreign trade value increased 12.6 per cent year on year in 2008 to US$80.5 billion, Xinhua reported.
Export value increased 10.7 per cent to $42.2 billion while import value rose 14.7 per cent, up to $38.3 billion, generating a trade surplus of $3.9 billion.
Under the influence of economic downturn, Tianjin's exports to the US fell 9.6 per cent last year, while those to the EU was on a slower growth of 3.1 per cent.