Macau, China, 7 Feb – Macau recorded falling exports and rising imports last year, resulting in an external merchandise trade deficit of 37.16 billion patacas (US$4.64 billion), according to the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC).
The trade deficit rose 27.1 percent year on year.
Total exports – comprising domestic and re-exports – dropped 9.3 percent to just 6.96 billion patacas (US$ 870 million). Re-exports accounted for 65.6 percent of all exports.
Imports rose 19.6 percent to 44.1 billion patacas (US$5.51 bilion).
Textiles and garments made up a mere 23.4 percent of the total value of exports. Their share stood at about three quarters about a decade ago.
Tobacco and wine exports rose 47.6 percent to 470 million patacas, accounting for 6.8 percent of all exports.
Jewellery items accounted for 10.6 percent of all exports. Their export value dropped 2.2 percent to 737 million patacas.
Timepieces made up 5.1 percent of all exports, rising 12.8 percent year-on-year to 352 million patacas.
"So-called "casino articles" accounted for 4.1 percent of all exports. Their value decreased 24.3 percent to 286 million patacas." according to The Macau Post Saily.
Some 43.1 percent of Macau’s exports were shipped to Hong Kong, 15.8 percent to the mainland China , 11.2 percent to the US, and 5.9 percent to the 27-nation EU.
Consumer goods accounted for 59.5 percent of Macau’s imports.
Mainland China delivered 31.1 percent of Macau’s imports, followed by the EU with 22.6 percent, Hong Kong with 10.5 percent and Japan with 8.6 percent.
France alone accounted for 9.2 percent of Macau’s imports, up 37 percent year-on-year.
(MacauNews)
