Labor-intensive industries witness strong progress in the region

An unexpected sharp increase in foreign trade in the eastern coastal region in January, though lower than the national average, showed that traditional labor-intensive industries are regaining vitality.

The total import and export value of Shanghai, the region's trade hub, rose by 11.9 percent to reach $68.37 billion in January, according to statistics from the Shanghai Customs District on Sunday. Export value was $43.15 billion, up 6.3 percent.