XN000022-1996-07-11 — Page 10

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External trade statistics by country and commodity for May

Detailed statistics on external trade with breakdown by country/territory and commodity for May are released by the Census and Statistics Department today (Thursday).

In May 1996, the value of re-exports grew moderately, by 3.8% over a year earlier to $100.3 billion, while the value of domestic exports decreased by 12% to $17.6 billion. Taken together, the value of total exports showed a small positive growth of 1.1% to $117.9 billion.

Nevertheless, the more modest export performance in May 1996 was affected to a considerable extent by the high base of comparison in May last year. Meanwhile, imports decreased by 2.6% to $129.9 billion.

Changes in the value of Hong Kong's re-exports to 10 main destinations are shown in Table 1.

Comparing May 1996 with May 1995, increases were recorded in the value of re-exports to Japan (+17%), the United Kingdom (+16%), South Korea (+11%), France (+8.5%), Germany (+7.8%), the Netherlands (+4.1%), China (+3.9%) and Singapore (+1.2%).

However, the value of re-exports to Taiwan and the United States decreased by 7.9% and 2% respectively.

Comparing the first five months of 1996 with the same period in 1995, increases were recorded in the value of re-exports to Japan (+28%), the United Kingdom (+15%), France (+14%), Germany (+11%), China (+11%), the Netherlands (+9.9%), Singapore (+9.2%) and South Korea (+6.7%).

However, the value of re-exports to Taiwan and the United States decreased marginally, by 0.6% and 0.4% respectively.

Taking all destinations together, the value of re-exports in the first five months of 1996 was $458.9 billion, 8.9% higher than that in the same period in 1995.

Table 2 shows changes in the value of re-exports of 10 principal commodity

divisions.

Comparing the first five months of 1996 with the same period in 1995, the value of re-exports of most principal commodity divisions rose.

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