Foreign trade sets record in Guangdong ( 2003-08-15 09:05) (China Daily)
Guangdong's foreign trade
volume reached a record US$24.17 billion last month, up 21.2 per cent from the
corresponding month of the previous year.
Both exports and imports rose to the highest levels recorded in a single
month, hitting US$12.81 billion and US$11.36 billion in July, up 22 per cent and
20.3 per cent respectively over the same month last year.
According to a Guangdong Customs official, July's robust foreign trade
performance indicates that Guangdong, China's biggest trader, has bounced back
from the SARS-related import and export slump in the first half of the year.
And the strong growth in July has helped Guangdong achieve a foreign trade
volume of US$148.75 billion in the first seven months of this year, up
year-on-year 26.2 per cent, according to statistics released by Guangdong
Customs yesterday.
The province's import and export volume from January to July made up 33 per
cent of China's total foreign trade.
The province's exports came to US$78.69 billion between January and July, up
25.5 per cent from the same period of the previous year. Guangdong's imports
grew even faster at 27.1 per cent to stand at US$70.06 billion.
Guangdong achieved a foreign trade surplus of US$8.63 billion during the
January-July period.
Overseas-funded companies and joint ventures are playing an increasingly
important role in Guangdong's foreign trade industry.
Exports from overseas-funded firms and joint ventures reached US$48.12
billion in the first seven months, up 33.3 per cent from the same period of
2002.
And the province's State-owned enterprises also sold US$22.45 billion worth
of products abroad, growing 1.3 per cent. Private firms have maintained their
growth momentum since the beginning of the year.
Their export volume reached US$5.11 billion in the first seven months, 1.5
times more than the figure for the same period last year.
Machinery, electronic and high-tech products witnessed steady growth in
exports.
The export volume of machinery and electronic products reached US$50.23
billion in the first seven months, up 32.9 per cent and accounting for 63.8 per
cent of the province's total foreign trade.
And the exports of new and high-tech products came to US$23.6 billion, an
increase of 47.1 per cent.
Exports of textiles and garments, shoes, toys, furniture and plastic products
also enjoyed sustainable growth this year.
Guangdong mainly imported machinery and electronic products, automobiles and
parts, finished oil, steel and agricultural products in the first seven months.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the United States and European
Union (EU) continued to be the top three buyers of Guangdong products.
Guangdong sold US$27.53 billion worth of products to neighbouring Hong Kong
between January and July, up 21.2 per cent,
Orders from the United States and the EU also reached US$19.01 billion and
US$12.23 billion, up 23.8 per cent and 38.8 per cent respectively.
Shenzhen, Dongguan, Guangzhou, Foshan and Zhongshan are the five biggest
cities in terms of foreign trade in Guangdong Province this year.