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In the first quarter of 2007, the value of domestic exports classified to the four major industries of textiles; consumer electrical and electronic products; wearing apparel and machinery, equipment, apparatus, parts and components together accounted for 59% of Hong Kong's total domestic exports, according to statistics released today (May 8) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD).
In the first quarter of 2007, the value of domestic exports classified to the wearing apparel industry fell significantly by $4.0 billion or 58.3% to $2.9 billion compared with the same quarter in 2006, that to the consumer electrical and electronic products industry by $3.4 billion or 53.3% to $3.0 billion, that to the textiles industry by $3.2 billion or 42.1% to $4.3 billion, and that to the machinery, equipment, apparatus, parts and components industry by $1.6 billion or 38.0% to $2.6 billion.
As for other manufacturing industries, a notable increase was registered for the value of domestic exports classified to the chemicals and chemical products industry, by $0.3 billion or 16.3% over a year earlier to $2.3 billion in the first quarter of 2007.
The above statistics of domestic exports classified by industrial origin are derived by re-grouping the merchandise domestic 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 not included.
The attached table shows the domestic export statistics classified by industrial origin.
The industrial classification used is the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification (HSIC). The HSIC is to be distinguished from the United Nations Standard International Trade Classification (SITC) used in the regular trade statistics reports. In comparison, the HSIC is more related to production processes whereas the 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 domestic 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 secondary products which are produced by establishments of other industries.
For enquiries on the statistics, please contact the Industrial Production & Tourism Statistics Section of the C&SD at telephone 2805 6643 or email ind-production@censtatd.gov.hk.
Ends/Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Issued at HKT 16:15
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