Hong Kong saw the value of total exports of goods in the first half year up 8.8 percent over the same period in 2016 and the value of imports of goods up 9.4 percent year-on-year, statistics showed on Thursday.

In exports, the value of re-exports increased by 8.8 percent, while the value of domestic exports expanded by 3.2 percent, according to the Census and Statistics Departments of the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Concurrently, a visible trade deficit of 228.5 billion HK dollars (29.3 billion U.S. dollars), equivalent to 11.3 percent of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in the first six months.

In June alone, the value of total exports of goods (comprising re-exports and domestic exports) rose by 11.1 percent over a year earlier to 329.4 billion HK dollars, after a year-on-year increase of 4.0 percent in May.

In June, the value of imports of goods increased by 10.4 percent over a year earlier to 377.7 billion HK dollars, after a year-on-year increase of 6.6 percent in May.

A visible trade deficit of 48.3 billion HK dollars, equivalent to 12.8 percent of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in June.