HK External Trade Posts Marked Increase in AprilHong Kong's total exports and imports showed further marked increases in April 2000, external trade figures released Thursday by the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department show.The value of total exports, comprising re-exports and domestic exports, increased notably by 15.5 percent in April 2000 over a year earlier to HK$123.1 billion (US$15.78 billion). Within the total, the value of re-exports rose by 16.7 percent to HK$109.4 billion (US$14.02 billion), and that of domestic exports by 7.4 percent to HK$13.7 billion (US$1. 75 billion). Concurrently, the value of imports also increased strongly, by 18.0 percent in April 2000 over a year ago to HK$133.6 billion (US$17.13 billion). A visible trade deficit of HK$10.5 billion (US$1.35 billion), equivalent to 7.9 percent of the value of imports, was recorded in April 2000, larger than the deficit of HK$6. 7 billion (US$858.97 million) recorded in April 1999. For the first four months of 2000 as a whole, the value of total exports increased strongly by 18.7 percent over a year earlier, and the value of imports rose by 21.5 percent. A government Secretariat spokesman noted that the value of total exports recorded double-digit growth for the sixth month in a row in April 2000, bolstered by strong import demand in all the major markets. The spokesman also pointed out that the intake of imports for local use remained strong in April, causing the visible trade deficit to be higher than a year earlier. This nevertheless was associated with the further pick-up in domestic demand and the process of inventory replenishment, along with a more entrenched economic recovery, the spokesman added. |
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