In a bid to boost profitability a Chinese online retailer that sells to overseas customers has made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

The initial public offering (IPO) of Beijing-based LightInTheBox on June 10 was the first Chinese company IPO in the United States this year.

The firm sells clothes, electronics, toys, sports goods as well as gadgets among other products. As China witnesses a period of slow trade growth, retailers have turned to online platforms to access overseas markets.

According to data from the National Development and Reform Commission, cross-border online trade volume surged 33 percent year on year to 1.6 trillion yuan ($260 billion) in 2011. It increased 25 percent year on year to 2 trillion yuan ($325.6 billion) in 2012, far exceeding the total trade growth of 6.2 percent.

Metro Export

A Chinese manufactured stainless steel metro vehicle began its journey to Turkey from central China's Hunan Province on June 9, the first of its kind to be exported to the European market.

Liu Youmei, an official with CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co. Ltd., said the vehicle, which consists of three carriages, is being taken to Shanghai Port, where it will be shipped to Turkey's capital Ankara on June 11, arriving by mid-July.

Another 107 stainless steel metro vehicles will be sent to Turkey, Liu said.

With a speed of 80 km per hour, the vehicle holds a maximum of 1,008 passengers. The interior has been made higher to accommodate taller European people, Liu said.

In April, CSR Zhuzhou and Turkish companies in Ankara set up joint ventures in the production and maintenance of urban rail vehicles, electric locomotives and high-speed trains.

CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co. Ltd. is a subsidiary company of CSR Corp. Ltd., China's largest train manufacturer.