KUNMING -- Southwestern China's Yunnan province saw year-on-year foreign trade growth of 5 percent with countries along the Belt and Road in the first quarter of 2019.

The border province's total foreign trade volume with Belt and Road countries rose to 35.12 billion yuan (5.72 billion US dollars) in Q1, said the province's Department of Commerce.

Yunnan saw the fastest trade growth with Iraq, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, with petroleum, sulfur and ore the most imported goods and textiles, mechanical and electrical products as the most exported goods.

Statistics show that trade with ASEAN countries made up a large share of its total foreign trade volume in Q1, with Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia contributing the most.

Bordering Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar, Yunnan has accelerated economic and trade cooperation with countries along the Belt and Road, and southeast Asian countries in recent years.