Xiamen port in Fujian province handled nearly 18 million tonnes of cargo in 1997, up 13 per cent from 1996, according to official statistics.

Of the total, 11 million tonnes involved foreign trade, a rise of 25 per cent from 1996, Xinhua (the New China News Agency) reported.

The port handled 546,000 teu (20 ft equivalent units) in 1997, an increase of 36 per cent from 1996.