XN000022-1978-01-15 — Page 6

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 13, 1978

THE CHANGES IN IMPORTS FROM TEN MAJOR SOURCES ARE SUMMARISED

BELOW:

JAN.-NOV.

1976

JAN.-NOV.

INCREASE/

1977

DECREASE

(HK$MN)

(HK$MN)

(HK$MN)

PERCENTAGE CHANGE

JAPAN

8,396

10,234

+1,838

+ 21.9%

CHINA

6,963

7,222

258

+ 3.7%

U.S.A.

4,865

5,543

678

+ 13.9%

TAIWAN

2,753

2,939

186

+ 6.8%

SINGAPORE

2,296

2,668

371

+ 16.2%

UNITED KINGDOM

1,678

1,964

285

+ 17.0%

SOUTH KOREA

1,484

1,503

19

+ 1.3%

F.R. OF GERMANY

1,197

1,309

112

9.4%

SWITZERLAND AND

1,021

1,147

126

+ 12.4%

LIECHTENSTEIN

AUSTRALIA

849

883

34

4.0%

IMPORTS FROM JAPAN ROSE SUBSTANTIALLY BY 21.9%. MAJOR INCREASES OCCURRED IN BOTH CAPITAL AND CONSUMER GOODS, OF WHICH PROMINENT ITEMS ARE TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT (+$351 MILLION OR +119.9%), WATCHES AND CLOCKS (+$332 MILLION OR +61.8%), ELECTRICAL MACHINERY, APPARATUS AND APPLIANCES (+$196 MILLION OR +16.7%), MACHINERY, OTHER THAN ELECTRIC (+$195 MILLION OR +23.7%), AND IRON AND STEEL (+$120 MILLION OR +17.4%).

SUPPLIES FROM CHINA RECORDED A GAIN OF 3.7% WITH MAJOR INCREASES IN PETROLEUM AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTS (+$158 MILLION OR +58.0%) AND CLOTHING (+$123 MILLION OR +41.5%).

——

DECLINES WERE REGISTERED IN FOODSTUFFS CEREALS AND CEREAL PREPARATIONS (-$48 MILLION), MEAT AND MEAT PREPARATIONS (-$32 MILLION) AND FISH AND FISH PREPARATIONS (-$25 MILLION).

INCREASES OF IMPORTS OF TEXTILE FIBRES (+$298 MILLION OR +103.1%) AND TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT (+$254 MILLION OR +800.6%) FROM THE UNITED STATES ACCOUNTED MAINLY FOR A MODERATE 13.9% INCREASE IN IMPORTS.

/THE FOLLOWING