Trade in Guangdong, which contributes nearly one-fourth of the country's total, increased 26.9 percent year-on-year in the first five months of the year, sources with the provincial customs bureau said.

A growing number of manufacturers in Dongguan, a major processing trade hub in the Pearl River Delta, are now eyeing the domestic market.

Xie Yuncong, a sales manager at Dongguan Choosing Porcelain Co, said sales in the domestic market are picking up this year due to rising demand for high-end household ceramics.

"We've made huge efforts to diversify sales in the domestic market, following a decline in shipments to overseas markets," Xie said.

The company started selling its products in the domestic market two years ago, when exports declined following the global economic downturn.

Anti-dumping measures launched in Europe were also an issue.

The company's products are now distributed in major cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

Sales in the domestic market currently represent almost 30 percent of the company's total sales, Xie said.