China's total imp. & exp. value of foreign trade recorded U.S. dollar 371.3 billion in Jan.-Mar. 2006 increasing 25.80% compared with the same period of last year. Among them, export was 197.3 billion dollars, increasing 26.60%; while import was 174.00 billion dollars, increasing 24.80%. Trade surplus was 23.31 billion dollars, which is released by China Customs.

Official statistics made by China Customs that China's total imp. & exp. value of textile and apparel in the first quarter 2006 reached 31.805 billion dollars, increasing 20.28% compared with the same period of last year, and taking up 8.57% of China gross imp.& exp. value of foreign trade. Gross export value of textile and apparel in China was 27.988 billion dollars, increasing 22.16% compared with the same period of last year, and taking up 14.19% of gross export value of foreign trade in China. Among them, textile export was 10.852 billion dollars, increasing 20.87% compared with the same period of last year; and apparel export was 17.136 billion dollars, increasing 23.00% compared with the same period of last year. Gross import value of textile and apparel reached 3.817 billion dollars, up 8.06% compared with the same period of last year, and taking up 2.19% of gross import value of foreign trade in China. Among them, textile import was 3.449 billion dollars, increasing 6.15% compared with the same period of last year. and apparel import was 0.369 billion dollars, increasing 29.99% compared with the same period of last year.The favorable balance of textile and apparel trade reached 24.171 billion dollars in Jan.-Mar.2006.

Among the main export countries and areas of textile and apparel, Japan was the top one, USA and Hong Kong PR China became the top two and three. In Jan. to Mar.2006, China export to Japan reached 4.441 billion dollars, increasing 12.28% compared with the same period of last year; export to USA was 3.903 billion dollars, increasing 6.47% compared with the same period of last year; export to Hong Kong PR China was up to 3.665 billion dollars, up 18.26% compared with the same period of last year. Total value of export to the above three countries and area reached 12.009 billion dollars, taking up 42.91% of total export of textile and apparel. Export to EU reached 4.471 billion dollars, increasing12.67% compared with the same period of last year. China's export of textile and apparel in the first quarter 2006 to EU and USA reached 8.374 billion dollars, increasing 9.70% compared with the same period of last year, taking up 29.92% of China's total export value of textile and apparel in the first quarter 2006. Export to other restricted countries reached 19.614 billion dollars, increasing 28.38% compared with the same period of last year, taking up 70.08% of China's total export value of textile and apparel.

Among the main import countries and areas, Japan,Taiwan PR China and South Korea became top three. In Jan.to Mar. 2006, the import textile and apparel from Japan,Taiwan PR China and South Korea was 0.725 billion dollars, 0.717 billion dollars, and 0.553 billion dollars separately, down 6.90%, increasing 5.21% and down 0.68% separately on the previous year.

(Source: CCPIT TEX)