Export of high-tech products soaring
By Yan Yang (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-02-11 08:42

China exported US$17.61 billion worth of high-tech products last month, up 33.4 per cent year-on-year, the Ministry of Commerce said on Friday.

The ministry also said imported high-tech products in January increased 31.4 per cent from last year to US$16.91 billion.

By category, exported mobile phones and parts totalled US$2.9 billion in January, 68.3 per cent higher year-on-year, while the export of integrated circuits was worth US$1.29 billion, up 43 per cent. Computer exports rose 16 per cent to US$5.77 billion.

The ministry said this year's total export and import figures for high-tech products are expected to reach US$500 billion, compared to US$416 billion last year. This would be a growth rate of 20 per cent.

China exported US$218.25 billion worth of high-tech products in 2005, according to ministry statistics, accounting for 28.6 per cent of the country's overall exports for the year.

The ministry said computer exports achieved the highest value last year in terms of sector, with US$104.84 billion, up by 24.9 per cent. The communications sector came next with US$72.28 billion worth of exports, up by 37.8 per cent.

The opto-electronics sector had the highest export growth of 89 per cent last year though its export value only came in fourth at US$7.18 billion.

According to the statistics, the high-tech imports and exports of China-based foreign-funded enterprises reached US$349.9 billion in 2005. High-tech exports accounted for over 40 per cent of these enterprises' total exports for the year.

The sector, primarily information and telecommunication industries, has absorbed over US$70 billion in foreign investment in the past five years.