INDUSTRY AND TRADE
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exports and re-exports together, valued at $639,874 million, registered an increase of 12 per cent.
Appendices 15 and 16 provide summary statistics of external trade. J
Imports
Hong Kong is almost entirely dependent on imported resources to meet the needs of its population of 5.86 million and its diverse industries. In 1990, imports of raw materials and semi-manufactured goods totalled $248,690 million, representing 39 per cent of total imports. The principal items imported were transistors, diodes, semi-conductors and integ- rated circuits ($28,856 million); fabrics of man-made fibres ($27,450 million); plastic moulding materials ($20,176 million); watch and clock movements, cases and parts ($13,834 million); iron and steel ($11,559 million); and woven cotton fabrics ($11,493 million).
Consumer goods, valued at $247,748 million, constituted 39 per cent of total imports. The major consumer goods imported were: clothing ($54,563 million); radios, television receivers, gramophones, records, amplifiers and tape recorders ($32,387 million); baby carriages, toys, games and sporting goods ($17,585 million); footwear ($13,058 million); diamonds ($12,967 million); travel goods, handbags and similar containers ($12,673 million) and watches ($12,272 million).
Imports of capital goods amounted to $94,560 million, or 15 per cent of total imports. - Imported capital goods consisted mainly of electrical machinery ($16,011 million), office machines ($10,072 million), transport equipment ($9,744 million), electronic components and parts for computers ($6,895 million) as well as parts for electric power machinery ($4,427 million).
Imports of foodstuffs were valued at $36,991 million, representing six per cent of total imports. The principal imported food items were fish and fish preparations ($8,264 million), fruit ($5,014 million), meat and meat preparations ($4,547 million) and vegetables ($3,896 million).
Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, worth some $14,542 million were im- ported in 1990, representing two per cent of total imports.
China and Japan were principal suppliers of imports, providing 37 per cent and 16 per cent respectively of the total. China alone supplied 36 per cent of Hong Kong's imported foodstuffs. Taiwan ranked third, providing nine per cent, followed by the United States, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Exports
Clothing remained the largest component of domestic exports, valued at $72,165 million or 32 per cent of the total. Exports of miscellaneous manufactured articles consisting mainly of plastic toys and dolls, jewellery, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares and plastic articles were valued at $26,014 million, representing 12 per cent of domestic exports. Photographic apparatus, equipment, supplies and optical goods, watches and clocks were valued at $21,497 million (10 per cent of the total). Electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances consisting mainly of household-type appliances, transistors and diodes amounted to $17,293 million or eight per cent of the total. Domestic exports of textiles valued at $16,906 million, contributed another seven per cent to the total. Other important exports included telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment