Macau’s imports rose by 19.7 percent year-on-year to 37.26 billion patacas in the first quarter of the year, while exports grew by 19.7 percent to 4.18 billion patacas, resulting in a merchandise trade balance deficit of 33.08 billion patacas, the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC) announced yesterday.
According to a statement by the bureau, gold jewellery imports increased by 53.5 pct to 4.0 billion patacas, while mobile phone imports grew by 135.3 pct to 1.30 billion patacas.
Gold jewellery imports accounted for the second-largest segment of total imports, after food and beverage imports, which fell by 5.9 percent to 5.36 billion patacas.
Re-exports made up 90.5 percent of total exports.
Macau’s three top source markets for imports remained the Chinese mainland (38.7 percent), France (11.9 percent), and Italy (10.4 percent).
Some 68.9 percent of Macau’s exports were shipped to Hong Kong. Only 1.2 percent and 1.5 percent of its exports went to the US and the EU, respectively.
Macau is a free port, a separate customs territory of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and a founding member of the Geneva-based World Trade Organisation (WTO). Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai met with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in Geneva during a four-nation, nine-day European tour last month.
Historically, Macau has served as an entrepôt between East and West since the 16th century.
A shopper exits a 24/7 supermarket on Macau's Avenida da Praia Grande this afternoon. Virtually all products on sale in local supermarkets are imported from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and elsewhere. - Photo: Carl Leong
