104 Commerce and Industry
The printing and publishing industry was the largest employer in the manufacturing sector as at December 2006, followed by the food and beverages industry. Chart 1 shows the breakdown of employment within the manufacturing sector as at December 2006.
Chart 1
Number of Persons Employed by the Manufacturing Sector as at December 2006
Others 25.7% (41 000)
Chemical products
3.3% (5 200)
Electronics 7.5% (12 000)
Clothing 11.1% (17 700)
Printing and publishing
24.3% (38 800)
Food and beverages 16.3% (25 900)
Textiles 11.8% (18 800)
The manufacturing sector remains export-oriented and its excellent performance contributed to Hong Kong's ranking as one of the world's leading exporters of clothing, watches and clocks, toys, jewellery and textiles. Domestic exports amounted to $134.5 billion in 2006 with clothing, electronics, chemical products, jewellery and textiles being the major export items. Chart 2 shows the value breakdown of domestic exports in 2006.
Chart 2
Value of Domestic Exports of the Manufacturing Sector in 2006
Others
16.6% ($22.293 billion)
Printing and publishing
2.1% ($2.862 billion)
Textiles
3.0% ($4.120 billion)
Jewellery 5.5% ($7.375 billion)
Chemical products 7.0% ($9.383 billion)
Electronics
27.0% ($36.259 billion)
Clothing
38.8% ($52.233 billion)