This aerial photo taken on May 4, 2023 shows a cargo ship carrying corn imported from South Africa at a port in South China's Guangdong province. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's trade with Africa sustained steady growth in the first seven months of the year, growing 7.4 percent year-on-year to 1.14 trillion yuan ($158.36 billion), according to the General Administration of Customs on Wednesday.

China's exports to Africa stood at 709.59 billion yuan during the January-July period, up 20 percent compared with the same period last year, as highlighted by electrical and mechanical products, ships, and automobiles, according to customs data.

Simultaneously, China's import volume from Africa came in at 426.65 billion yuan in the first seven months, mainly including crude oil, metal ores and agricultural products, customs data showed.

China has remained Africa's largest trading partner over the past decade. Bilateral trade increased 14.8 percent year-on-year and amounted to 1.87 trillion yuan in 2022, with South Africa, Nigeria and Angola being the country's top three trading partners in Africa, customs data showed.