Macao's trade deficit for the first four months of 2009 decreased by 4.4 percent to 8.44 billion patacas (1.07 billion U.S. dollars), with the exports/imports ratio dropping by 13.5 percentage points year-on-year to 24.3 percent, according to the city's Statistics and Census Service ( DSEC).

Total exports of goods fell by 49.4 percent year-on-year to 2. 71 billion patacas (34 million dollars) in the period, with the value of domestic exports and re-exports declining by 65.3 percent and 22.1 percent respectively, the DSEC figures showed.

Analyzed by destination of Macao's exports, the value of merchandise exports to the U.S., the European Union and the Chinese mainland decreased by 73.4 percent, 57.9 percent and 41.6 percent year-on-year respectively.

The value of Textile and garment exports fell by 66.6 percent year-on-year to account for 39.2 percent of the total exports of goods, while the value of Non-textile exports dropped by 24.2 percent in the period, said the DSEC.

Meanwhile, total imports of goods slid by 21.4 percent to 11.15 billion patacas (1.41 billion dollars) between January and April, according to the DSEC. Regarding the country of origin of imported goods, the value of imports from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong dropped by 43.4 percent and 16.9 percent respectively year-on- year.

The value of imports of all broad economic categories continued to decline, of which raw materials and semi-manufactures dropped by 44.8 percent and fuels and lubricants fell by 30 percent, while that of food and beverage rising by 11.1 percent in the period.

(Xinhua News Agency May 30, 2009)