Guangdong's import volume reached US$149.61 billion in the first 11 months this year, a record high in the province's foreign trade history. 

The figure represents an increase of 27.2 percent from the same period of the previous year, and US$18.91 billion more than the province's total import volume in 2003, an official from Guangdong Customs said yesterday.  

The province's import volume from general trade reached US$40.86 billion from January to November, 26 percent up year-on-year, while imports from processing industry came to US$89.8 billion, a year-on-year growth of 23.3 percent.

Guangdong mainly imported machinery and electronic products, new and high-tech products, agricultural products, steel, refined oil, automobiles and their parts in the first 11 months of the year, Wu Shihai, an official from Guangdong Customs, told China Daily yesterday.

The import volume from machinery and electronic products stood at US$86.63 billion between January and November, up year-on-year 30.1 percent while imports from new and high-tech products also witnessed a big year-on-year increase of 29.9 percent to hit US$52.99 billion.

The import volumes from agricultural products, steel, refined oil, automobiles and parts also reached US$3.95 billion, US$5.95 billion, US$2.68 billion and US$800 million respectively.

Wu predicted Guangdong's total import volume would be more than US$160 million for the whole year.

The good performance by the province's import industry has helped Guangdong, China's biggest foreign trader, realize a total foreign trade volume of US$319.07 billion in the 11 months ending November, up year-on-year 25.8 percent and accounting for 30.7 percent of the country's total.

It is the first time in its foreign trade history that Guangdong's total import and export volume hit more than US$300 billion in a year, Wu said.

The province's export volume recorded a year-on-year increase of 25.5 percent to come to US$169.46 billion in the first 11 months.

The southern Chinese province that borders Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions has posted a foreign trade surplus of US$19.85 billion.

Hong Kong, the United States and European Union (EU) continued to be the three biggest trade partners of Guangdong this year.

Orders from Hong Kong notched up at US$60.37 billion in the first 11 months this year, 26.6 percent up year-on-year, while Guangdong's exports to the United States and EU also reached US$40.85 billion and US$24.42 billion, up year-on-year 22.5 percent 19.1 percent respectively.

The province's exports to the countries of Middle East, the countries of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and South Korea also enjoyed big growth in the first 11 months.

Non-State sectors continued to play a bigger part in Guangdong's foreign trade this year.

Exports from foreign-funded companies and joint ventures reached US$107.37 billion in the first 11 months, up year-on-year 27.2 percent and representing 63.4 percent of the province's total. Exports from privately-operated firms and collective companies saw even faster growth of 66 percent to come to US$23.18 billion from January to November.

Electronic and machinery products became the major foreign currency earners in Guangdong in the first 11 months this year.

(China Daily December 16, 2004)