XN000022-1996-08-12 — Page 5

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Monitors' report submitted to CS

The monitors appointed to observe the Orderly Repatriation Programme operation this (Monday) morning have submitted their report to the Chief Secretary.

The two monitors comprised a non-official Justice of the Peace, Mr William Wan Hon-cheung; and a representative from a non-governmental organisation, Mr Anthony Wong from Caritas Hong Kong.

End

External trade statistics by country and commodity for June

Detailed statistics on external trade with breakdown by country/territory and commodity for June as well as for the first half of 1996 were released by the Census and Statistics Department today (Monday).

As were already published on July 26, the value of re-exports decreased slightly by 2.2% over a year earlier to $91.9 billion, the value of domestic exports by 18% to $16.9 billion, and the value of imports by 4% to $123.8 billion in June 1996.

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

Comparing June 1996 with June 1995, decreases were recorded in the value of re-exports to Taiwan (-20%), Germany (-4.8%), China (-4.1%), the Netherlands (-3%) and the United States (-1.7%).

However, the value of re-exports to Japan, the United Kingdom, Singapore, France and South Korea increased by 14%, 6.3%, 4.8%, 4.8% and 4.3% respectively.

Comparing the first half of 1996 with the same period in 1995, increases were recorded in the value of re-exports to Japan (+26%), the United Kingdom (+14%), France (+12%), Singapore (+8.4%), Germany (+8.3%), China (+8.1%), the Netherlands (+7.5%) and South Korea (+6.3%).

However, the value of re-exports to Taiwan and the United States decreased by 4.1% and 0.6% respectively.