TIANJIN -- The northern Chinese port city of Tianjin witnessed a 4.7-percent year-on-year growth in trade with Belt and Road (B&R) countries from January to April.

The trade volume between Tianjin and B&R countries reached 54.9 billion yuan (about $7.7 billion) during the period, accounting for 25.6 percent of the city's total foreign trade, the Tianjin Customs said Wednesday.

The city's exports to B&R countries totaled 30.4 billion yuan in the first four months, while imports totaled 24.6 billion yuan during the period.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations became Tianjin's largest trade partner among B&R countries and regions during the period, with total trade hitting 29.1 billion yuan, up 5.7 percent year-on-year.