CHONGQING'S bonded areas recorded a steep increase of 292 per cent year on year in its collective import and export value to US$2.59 billion during the period from January to May this year, Xinhua reports.

Imported cargo value surged 360 per cent to $2.53 billion. The sharp growth was brought by the booming IT product manufacturing industry in Chongqing which has stimulated the import of IT product parts.