China's port equipment operating rates posted significant increases in the first quarter of this year, reflecting strong resilience of the country's foreign trade backed by the competitiveness of its smart and novel export products.

In the period, the operating rates of ports nationwide rose both year on year and quarter on quarter.

Shen Chunfeng, a big data expert at iRootech, a pioneer industrial Internet of Things digital platform supplier, has noted the balanced structure of China's port layout.

"Generally speaking, major coastal ports are in leading positions, inland hubs are rising rapidly, and border ports are continuing to expand opening-up. China's regional opening-up structure is becoming more balanced," Shen said.

In the first quarter, the daily average throughput of goods and containers at ports across China rose by 2.4 percent and 8.5 percent, respectively, year on year.

Meanwhile, the total deadweight of departing and arriving cargo vessels at China's major ports grew by 9.6 percent and 5.4 percent from a year earlier.

Experts note that these figures, especially the higher growth rate of departing vessel deadweight, reflect the strong resilience of China's foreign trade amid a complex international political and economic landscape.

"This year, China has made notable progress in expanding exports to emerging markets, particularly Belt and Road partner countries. Foreign trade is expected to remain a solid pillar supporting China's economic growth this year," said Wei Ying, deputy director of the Big Data Development Department of the State Information Center under the National Development and Reform Commission.

The strong resilience can be largely attributed to China's competitive export products, which are becoming increasingly intelligent and innovative.

High-tech, high-value-added, green and low-carbon products are obviously playing a leading role in China's export, Wang Zhihua, director general of the Department of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Commerce, said at a press conference in Beijing on Friday.

China's exports of the "new trio" -- electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic products -- surged 50.7 percent this year, serving as an important engine for the country's foreign trade growth, according to Wang.

New business forms such as cross-border e-commerce and bonded repair are also flourishing, Wang said.

Exports to Belt and Road partner countries have increased by 20 percent, while those to members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Europe Union have grown by 20.3 percent and 19.9 percent, respectively, said the official.

"The Ministry of Commerce will accurately address the urgent needs and difficulties of market entities, stabilize exports and expand imports with stronger commitment, greater efforts, and more concrete measures, and promote innovative trade development," Wang said.