XN000022-1978-10-19 — Page 5

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1978

IN ADDITION, INCREASES IN THE IMPORTS OF FOODSTUFFS FROM CHINA WERE RECORDED, INCLUDING AN 18 PER CENT INCREASE IN VEGETABLES AND FRUIT ($439 MILLION) AND A 29 PER CENT INCREASE IN MEAT AND MEAT PREPARATIONS ($314 MILLION).

A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE WAS REGISTERED IN THE IMPORTS OF PEARLS, PRECIOUS AND SEMI-PRECIOUS STONES ($463 MILLION, +58 PER CENT) FROM U.S.A.

IMPORTS FROM TAIWAN WERE BOOSTED BY THE RISE IN ARRIVALS OF TEXTILE YARN, FABRICS, MADE-UP ARTICLES AND RELATED PRODUCTS ($1,027 MILLION, +8 PER CENT) WHILE THE INCREASE FROM SINGAPORE WAS DUE MAINLY TO MORE IMPORTS OF WATCHES AND CLOCKS ($104 MILLION, +98 PER CENT).

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

MANUFACTURED

JAN.-AUG. 77 (HK$ MN)

JAN,-AUG. 78 (HK$ MN)

INCREASE/ DECREASE

(HK$ MN)

PERCENTAGE CHANGE

GOODS

CLASS IF JED

CHIEFLY BY

MATERIAL

(MAINLY

9,443

12,313

+2,870

+ 30%

TEXTILE

PRODUCTS AND

DIAMONDS)

MACHINERY AND

TRANSPORT

6,191

7,563

+1,372

+ 22%

EQUIPMENT

FOOD AND LIVE

ANIMALS

CHIEFLY FOR

4,683

5,178

495

+ 11%

FOOD

MISCELLANEOUS

MANUFACTURED

ARTICLES

(MAINLY

3,850

5,168

+1,317

+ 34%

WATCHES AND

CLOCKS,

ARTICLES OF

APPAREL)

CHEMICALS AND

RELATED

2,372

2,869

498

+ 21%

PRODUCTS

/ACCELERATED.....