Software export via Dalian Port, northeast China's Liaoning Province, surged by 55 percent year on year to hit 30.86 million US dollars in the first three quarters this year, the latest statistics have shown.

According to the customs of Dalian, 49 software enterprises exported their products via Dalian Port in the first nine months.

Japan was the leading export market of Dalian's software products, taking in 93 percent of the total volume for the three-quarter period. Other export markets included Singapore, the United States, China's Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Currently, Dalian has more than 200 software companies, 25 percent of which are foreign-financed firms. Sixteen of the world's top 500 companies including Nokia, Ericsson and GE have invested in Dalian's software sector.

Dalian has been named a base for software production and export of China and a pilot city in developing international cooperation in the IT sector.