China Increases Timber Imports

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, January 25, 2002

China Increases Timber Imports

As China strengthens the protection of its wild wood, the country is relying on timber imports to meet growing domestic demand.

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As China strengthens the protection of its wild wood, the country is relying on timber imports to meet growing domestic demand.

Customs statistics show that China imported 15.01 million cubicmeters of logs in the first 11 months of 2001, pointing to annual imports of 16.37 million cubic meters.

The two leading timber import ports were Suifenhe in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province and Zhangjiagang in east China's Jiangsu Province. Suifenhe reported imports of over 10 million cubic meters in 2001, while Zhangjiagang reported 2.03 million cubic meters.

Prompted by a heavy flood in 1998, attributed to serious soil erosion, China initiated a project to protect wild wood. To offsetthe sharp fall in domestic supply, timber imports surged to 6.31 million cubic meters in 1999 and 13.61 million cubic meters in 2000.

China removed the timber import tariff after the flood in 1998 to facilitate timber imports. Chinese industrial insiders believe that as China continues to increase investment in fixed assets, its timber imports will continue to grow.

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