XN000022-1978-04-05 — Page 4

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 1978

· 3-

THE CHANGES IN IMPORTS FROM 10 MAJOR SOURCES ARE SUMMARISED

BELOW:

JAN. 1977 JAN. 1978

(HK$ MN.)

(HK$ MN.)

INCREASE/ DECREASE (HK$ MN.)

PERCENTAGE CHANGE

I

CHINA

659

821

+ 162

+ 24.6%

JAPAN

753

814

61

8.1%

U.S.A.

445

471

26

5.8%

TAIWAN

291

280

SINGAPORE

208

251

UNITED KINGDOM

171

193

+

+ 1

11

3.9%

44

+ 20.9%

22

SOUTH KOREA

128

180

+ 52

+ 12.8%

+41.0%

F.R. OF GERMANY 129

164

+ 35

+ 27.1%

SWITZERLAND AND LIECHTENSTE IN

112

118

6

5.6%

AUSTRALIA

69

96

+ 28

+ 40.6%

IMPORTS INCREASED FROM ALL MAJOR SUPPLIERS IN JANUARY EXCEPT FOR TAIWAN. THE INCREASE IN IMPORTS FROM CHINA WAS DUE MAINLY TO MORE IMPORTS OF PETROLEUM AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTS ($55 MILLION, + 166 PER CENT) AND TEXTILE FABRICS ($78 MILLION, +58.9 PER CENT),

IMPORTS FROM JAPAN RECORDED A MODEST INCREASE OF 8.1 PER CENT. THE MAJOR INCREASES OCCURRED IN TEXTILE YARN, FABRICS AND RELATED PRODUCTS ($134 MILLION, +24.6 PER CENT) AND VEHICLES ($62 MILLION, +65.5 PER CENT).

THE FOLLOWING