XN000022-1996-08-16 — Page 14

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More notable decreases in the value of domestic exports were also recorded for basic metals and fabricated metal products (-$258 million or -10%); professional and optical equipment(-$254 million or -6%); chemicals and chemical products (-$174 million or -8%).

For the footwear industry, although the change in absolute value was not as large, a marked percentage decrease of 54% was recorded.

Nevertheless, for the transport equipment industry and the petroleum and coal products industry, although the changes in absolute value were not as large, marked percentage increases of 32% and 31% were recorded respectively.

The above statistics of domestic exports classified by industrial origin are derived by re-grouping the merchandise export items originally grouped under the external trade classification system according to the industries in which these merchandise items are normally produced. Transactions in gold and specie are excluded.

The industrial classification used is the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification (HSIC). HSIC is to be distinguished from the United Nations Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) used in the regular trade statistics reports.

In comparison, HSIC is more related to production processes whereas SITC is more geared to end uses of products.

Caution should be taken when referring to these domestic export statistics classified by industrial origin. There may be several intermediate processing stages in the production of certain merchandise export items.

In compiling the above statistics, the total value of such an item has however been wholly related to the industry in which the item is finally produced. The above domestic export statistics of a particular industry may include products which are secondary products by establishments of other industries.

Further details of merchandise domestic export statistics classified by industrial origin may be found in the attached table which is obtainable from the General Economic Surveys Section of the Census and Statistics Department, Tel 2805 6642.

A table showing more detailed breakdowns of similar statistics for major manufacturing industries is also included in the Hong Kong External Trade, June 1996, report.