China’s General Administration of Customs has released foreign trade statistics for 2005, indicating that foreign trade amounted to $1.42212 trillion in 2005, up 23.2% compared with that of the previous year. Exports reached $762 billion and imports $660.12 billion, up by 28.4% and 17.6% respectively.

According to the statistics, in December 2005, total imports and exports reached $139.81 billion, hitting a historical high in imports and exports in a single month and recording a 20% increase year-on-year. Exports were $75.41 billion and imports $64.4 billion, up by 18.2% and 22.2% respectively.

Bilateral trade between China and its top six trading partners exceeded $100 billion with the EU and USA breaking the $200 billion mark.

In 2005, the EU remained China’s main trading partner and bilateral trade amounted to $217.31 billion, up 22.6%. The USA was the second largest trading partner with $211.63 billion of bilateral trade, up 24.8%. Japan was the third largest with $184.45 billion, a rise of 9.9%.

Exports of garments rose 19.9% to reach $73.88 billion; yarn, woven fabrics and products rose 22.9% to $41.13 billion, and footwear exports increased 25.3% to $19.05 billion.