Coastal Georgia officials are scheduled to return to China later this fall to renew trade contacts.

The September visit will be a second trip for some of those going.

Savannah Mayor Otis Johnson, several city staff and officials from Brunswick and Hinesville are among those scheduled for an 11-day visit to Jiangxi.

Robert Morris of the Georgia Ports Authority says, in the first five-months of this year, the Savannah port has seen monthly double-digit growth, with most of that attributed to Chinese exports.

"In order to be a player in international trade, it's important to have a presence in the countries that you want to trade with, especially in China," Morris says.

The officials will attend a trade expo where they'll meet Chinese business and government leaders interested in doing business in coastal Georgia.

Tags: China, Savannah, Brunswick, Georgia Ports Authority, GPB News, Otis Johnson, Savannah Mayor, Robert Morris