XN000022-1995-08-22 — Page 4

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Analysis of Hong Kong's re-export trade statistics

Re-exports accounted for 83% of the value of total exports and 39% of the total value of external trade of Hong Kong in the first half of 1995. In the same period of 1994, the corresponding shares were 81% and 39% respectively.

These figures, affirming the growing importance of re-export trade, are among the detailed re-export statistics released by the Census and Statistics Department today (Tuesday).

China remained the largest partner for Hong Kong's re-export trade. Of the total $515.2 billion of re-exports going through Hong Kong in the first half of 1995, 88% or $454.4 billion involved China in either direction.

As a source, re-exports originating in China accounted for 56% of Hong Kong's re-export value in the first half of 1995. As a destination, China's share was 36%.

It is noted that much of the re-export trade involving China is related to outward processing, as raw materials and semi-manufactured goods are exported to China for processing, with the final products subsequently returned to Hong Kong, and re-exported to the major overseas markets.

Other main origins of Hong Kong's re-exports in the first half of 1995 included Japan (accounting for 12%), Taiwan (8.0%), the United States (5.1%) and South Korea (3.5%).

The main destinations in the first half of 1995, besides China, included the United States (accounting for 20%), Japan (5.8%), Germany (4.0%) and the United Kingdom (2.6%).

Table 1 shows the changes in the value of re-exports from the ten main origins in the first half of 1995 compared with the same period in 1994.

Comparing the first half of 1995 with the same period in 1994, increases of various magnitudes were recorded in the value of re-exports from most main origins: Malaysia (+65%), Italy (+43%), Singapore (+42%), South Korea (+39%), the United States (+26%), Taiwan (+21%), China (+20%), Japan (+9.4%) and the United Kingdom (+7.0%). However, a decrease of 14% was recorded in the value of re- exports from Germany.