XN000022-1977-12-11 — Page 4

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1977

THE CHANGES IN IMPORTS FROM TEN MAJOR SOURCES ARE SUMMARIZED

BELOW:

JAN.-OCT.

1976

JAN.-OCT.

1977

INCREASE/

(HK$ MN)

(HK$ MN)

DECREASE (HK$ MN)

PERCENTAGE CHANGE

JAPAN

7,587

9,215

+ 1,628

+ 21.5%

CHINA

6,270

6,454

184

+

2.9%

U.S.A.

4,412

5,020

608

+ 13.8%

TA IWAN

2,490

2,673

183

7.3%

SINGAPORE

2,124

2,418

295

+ 13.9%

UNITED KINGDOM

1,516

1,764

248

+ 16.4%

SOUTH KOREA

1,322

1,354

32

2.4%

F.R. OF GERMANY

1,072

1,178

106

9.9%

SWITZERLAND AND

921

1,031

110

+ 11.9%

LIECHTENSTEIN

AUSTRALIA

750

780

30

4.1%

IMPORTS FROM JAPAN WENT UP NEARLY BY ONE-FIFTH BECAUSE OF INCREASING IMPORTS OF TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT (+ $336 MILLION OR + 127.5%), MACHINERY OTHER THAN ELECTRIC (+ $178 MILLION OR + 23.8%), ELECTRICAL MACHINERY, APPARATUS AND APPLIANCES (+ $161 MILLION OR + 15.2%) AND WATCHES AND CLOCKS (+$298 MILLION OR + 63.1%).

SUPPLY FROM CHINA ATTAINED A MARGINAL INCREASE OF 2.9 PER

CENT IN VALUE TERMS. MORE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES WERE

REGISTERED IN PETROLEUM AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTS (+ $137 MILLION OR + 57.0%), CRUDE ANIMALS AND VEGETABLES MATERIALS, N.E.S. (NOT ELSEWHERE STATED) (+ $105 MILLION OR + 42.0%) AND CLOTHING

(+ $103 MILLION OR + 40.9%).

INCREASES OF IMPORTS FROM U.S.A. WERE MAINLY ACCOUNTED FOR BY A REMARKABLE 643.4 PER CENT INCREASE IN TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT AND 100.8 PER CENT IN TEXTILE FIBRES AND THEIR WASTE.

THE FOLLOWING TABLE