China's exports for 1999 are expected to reach 193 billion US dollars, up an unexpected five percent over 1998. Total exports for the first 11 months of 1999 were 174.7 billion US dollars, up 6.6 percent over the previous year, according to figures released by the General Administration of Customs.

Import and export volume grew 12.7 percent to 323 billion US dollars.

Early last year, foreign trade experts and officials were cautiously predicting the outcome for the year's exports, saying that because of the worsening Asian financial crisis and the slowdown of the world economy, it would be very difficult for China's exports to achieve any growth.

Shi Guangsheng, minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC), said early last year during a national foreign trade conference that foreign trade officials should explore every possible means to make sure the country's exports are able to grow "to a certain degree."

Exports edged up only 0.5 percent in 1998 over 1997.

During the first quarter of 1999, exports of machinery and electronic products, whose export value accounts for some 40 percent of China's total export volume, recovered from its January and February slump.

By May, exports became positive for the first time in the year, and beginning in July the export growth rate remained positive for four consecutive months.

The unexpected growth of China's exports could be attributed mainly to the fast recovery of the other Asian economies, analysts said.

During the first 11 months of 1999, China's exports to Asian markets hit 91.6 billion US dollars, up 4.3 percent.

In particular, the country's exports to major Asian partners all increased or recovered, as exports to the Republic of Korea increased 24.8 percent, to Japan 9.8 percent, and to members of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) 12.9 percent.

Exports to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region recorded a negative growth rate of 6.4 percent, but this decrease was far better than the negative 36.9 percent of the first quarter of 1999.

In addition, analysts said that raised export tax rebate rates on January 1 and July 1 had helped expand the export of bulk products including machinery, electronics, textile goods, footwear, and toys.

Exports of machinery and electronic products, for instance, reached 68.9 billion US dollars between January and November, up 16.4 percent, while exports of toys hit 2.39 billion US dollars, up 25.7 percent.

Some trade experts say that China's foreign trade will benefit from a better international environment this year as the world economy is expected to grow further.