XN000022-1978-09-18 — Page 5

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1978

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THE CHANGES IN IMPORTS FROM 10 MAJOR SOURCES ARE SUMMARISED AS FOLLOWS:-

JAN.-JULY 77 (HK$ MN)

INCREASE PERCENTAGE

(HK$ MN)

JAN.-JULY 78 (HK$ MN)

CHANGE

JAPAN

6,484

7,646

+1,161

+ 18%

CHINA

4,329

5,370

+1,041

+ 24%

U.S.A.

3,541

4,173

632

+ 18%

TAIWAN

1,930

2,173

245

+ 13%

SINGAPORE

1,692

1,760

69

4%

U.K.

1,216

1,507

291

+ 24%

F.R. OF GERMANY

806

1,102

296

+ 37%

SWITZERLAND

728

1,052

324

+ 45%

SOUTH KOREA

955

955

*

*

AUSTRALIA

560

677

117

+ 21%

(* NEGLIGIBLE CHANGE)

INCREASED IMPORTS FROM JAPAN OF FABRICS ($1,043 MILLION, +17%), TEXTILE YARN ($293 MILLION, +18%), TEXTILE MADE-UP ARTICLES ($7 MILLION, +16%), ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES ($633 MILLION, +27%), TELECOMMUNICATIONS, SOUND RECORDING AND REPRODUCING APPARATUS AND EQUIPMENT ($536 MILLION, +22%) AS WELL AS WATCHES AND CLOCKS ($659 MILLION, +31%) BOOSTED THE IMPORT VALUE BY 18 PER CENT. INCREASED IMPORTS FROM CHINA INCLUDED FABRICS ($559 MILLION, + 69%), TEXTILE YARN ($134 MILLION, +17%), TEXTILE MADE-UP ARTICLES ($299 MILLION, +18%), LIVE ANIMALS CHIEFLY FOR FOOD ($644 MILLION, +5%), PETROLEUM AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTS ($384 MILLION, +87%), VEGETABLES AND FRUITS ($367 MILLION, +16%).

THE LARGEST INCREASE IN IMPORTS FROM U.S.A. WAS DIAMONDS ($376 MILLION, +71%). OTHER ITEMS WHICH ALSO SHOWED A RISE INCLUDED ELECTRICAL MACHINERY AND APPLIANCES ($340 MILLION, +10%), DATA PROCESSING AND OFFICE MACHINES ($342 MILLION, +13%). VEGETABLES AND FRUITS ($280 MILLION, +24%) AND TOBACCO AND TOBACCO MANUFACTURES ($183 MILLION, +33%).

THE FOLLOWING TABLE ILLUSTRATES THE CHANGES IN IMPORTS BY COMMODITY SECTIONS:

MANUFACTURED GOODS

CLASSIFIED CHIEFLY BY

MATERIAL (MAINLY

JAN.-JULY 77 (HK$ MN)

8,350

(HK$ MN)

JAN.-JULY 78

INCREASE PERCENTAGE (HK$ MN) CHANGE

10,615

+2,265

+ 27%

TEXTILE PRODUCTS AND DIAMONDS)

/MACHINERY