China's major port of Shanghai had registered a two-digit growth in imports from Europe and the United States during the first 11 months of this year. Customs statistics have shown that about US$11.95 billion, and US$6.22 billion dollars worth of goods had been imported through the port, up 28 percent and 17.2 percent, respectively.

The growth rate in exports through the port, however, were slower, with exports to Europe and the United States both bringing in US$13 billion, up by 12.5 percent and 11.1 percent, respectively.

China's exports to its largest overseas market Japan grew by 10.1 percent to US$13.64 billion.

Experts say exports through the port to the three overseas markets are expected to hover around 10 percent due to continuous sluggish market demand. The total value of integrated circuits and microelectronics parts was US$3.21 billion 40.1 percent above last year, and imported steel was up 9.8 percent to US$1.36 billion.

As China's largest foreign trade port, Shanghai port handled US$47. 95 billion worth of imported goods during the first 11 months of this year, while the value of goods for export stood at US$62.84 billion, up 11.7 percent and 12.1 percent, respectively.

Shanghai exported US$13.7 billion worth of goods during the first half of this year, up 16.9 percent over the same period last year.

Shanghai's exports to Japan, Europe, the United States and Hong Kong grew by 16.5 percent, 27.2 percent, 13.7 percent and 38 percent. In addition, contracted foreign investment in 1,239 projects approved by the Shanghai Municipal government totaled US$4.03 billion, up 44.1 percent.

The value of exported high-tech products rose by 28.3 percent over the same period of last year, machinery and electronic products accounted for 52.7 percent of the export total.

( December 17, 2001)