Zhejiang Registers 21 Percent Growth in ExportsEast China's Zhejiang province exported 10.6 billion U.S. dollars worth of products during the first half of this year, an increase of 21.8 percent over the same period last year, according to statistics from local customs.Local customs officials said general trade accounted for 8.5 billion U.S. dollars, about 80 percent of the export total. The increase in exports is attributable to the non-State-owned companies in the province. overseas-funded companies accounted for 43.9 percent of the growth, collectively-owned companies 35.3 percent, and other private firms, about 22 percent. The growth in garments, textile goods, footwear and furniture accounts for 52.6 percent of the total growth. The province also exported about 24.7 percent more machines and electronic goods over the same period of last year. Local officials say the province's exports to the United States and Japan began to slow down apparently due to lackluster demand from the two markets. Yet the negative influence is very small and most of the products the province exported are traditional exports. The province's exports to Africa and Latin America grew by 38 percent and 41 percent, respectively. |
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