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Guangdong import volume hits record high
By Zheng Caixiong (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-12-16 15:40
GUANGZHOU: Guangdong's import volume reached US$149.61 billion in the first
11 months this year, a record high in the province's foreign trade history.
The figure represents an increase of 27.2 per cent from the same period of
the previous year, and US$18.91 billion more than the province's total import
volume in 2003, an official from Guangdong Customs said yesterday.
The province's import volume from general trade reached US$40.86 billion from
January to November, 26 per cent up year-on-year, while imports from processing
industry came to US$89.8 billion, a year-on-year growth of 23.3 per cent.
Guangdong mainly imported machinery and electronic products, new and
high-tech products, agricultural products, steel, refined oil, automobiles and
their parts in the first 11 months of the year, Wu Shihai, an official from
Guangdong Customs, told China Daily yesterday.
The import volume from machinery and electronic products stood at US$86.63
billion between January and November, up year-on-year 30.1 per cent while
imports from new and high-tech products also witnessed a big year-on-year
increase of 29.9 per cent to hit US$52.99 billion.
The import volumes from agricultural products, steel, refined oil,
automobiles and parts also reached US$3.95 billion, US$5.95 billion, US$2.68
billion and US$800 million respectively.
Wu predicted Guangdong's total import volume would be more than US$160
million for the whole year.
The good performance by the province's import industry has helped Guangdong,
China's biggest foreign trader, realize a total foreign trade volume of
US$319.07 billion in the 11 months ending November, up year-on-year 25.8 per
cent and accounting for 30.7 per cent of the country's total.
It is the first time in its foreign trade history that Guangdong's total
import and export volume hit more than US$300 billion in a year, Wu said.
The province's export volume recorded a year-on-year increase of 25.5 per
cent to come to US$169.46 billion in the first 11 months.
The southern Chinese province that borders Hong Kong and Macao special
administrative regions has posted a foreign trade surplus of US$19.85 billion.
Hong Kong, the United States and European Union (EU) continued to be the
three biggest trade partners of Guangdong this year.
Orders from Hong Kong notched up at US$60.37 billion in the first 11 months
this year, 26.6 per cent up year-on-year, while Guangdong's exports to the
United States and EU also reached US$40.85 billion and US$24.42 billion, up
year-on-year 22.5 per cent 19.1 per cent respectively.
The province's exports to the countries of Middle East, the countries of
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and South Korea also enjoyed big
growth in the first 11 months.
Non-State sectors continued to play a bigger part in Guangdong's foreign
trade this year.
Exports from foreign-funded companies and joint ventures reached US$107.37
billion in the first 11 months, up year-on-year 27.2 per cent and representing
63.4 per cent of the province's total. Exports from privately-operated firms and
collective companies saw even faster growth of 66 per cent to come to US$23.18
billion from January to November.
Electronic and machinery products became the major foreign currency earners
in Guangdong in the first 11 months this year.
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