Foreign trade

In 2000, Nantong City's foreign trade value totalled US$3.156 billion, an increase of 30.9 per cent over US$2.411 billion in 1999. Total export value was US$2.035 billion, a 27.5 per cent increase over US$1.596 billion in 1999 and equivalent to 22.67 per cent of the city's total GDP of RMB74.3 billion (US$8.977 billion), and 7.9 per cent of the total provincial export value.

Export value of primary goods and manufactured goods reached US$83 million and US$1.952 billion respectively, accounting for 4.08 per cent and 95.92 per cent of the total export value.

144 countries and regions imported from the city. However, the top five export markets (see Table 7.37.2) took a dominant share of 70.38 per cent of the city's total export. Japan alone had taken 43.48 per cent of the city's exports in value terms.

Table 7.37.2: Top five export markets, Nantong City, 1995 and 2000

Country/region	Export value (US$ million)	% of export total
1995
Japan	655.65	48.00
Hong Kong	209.29	15.32
USA	179.83	13.16
Republic of Korea	92.67	6.78
UK	45.36	3.32
Total	1,182.8	86.58
2000
Japan	882.72	43.48
USA	224.55	11.03
Hong Kong	156.78	7.7
Panama	90.24	4.43
Republic of Korea	76.08 3	.74
Total	1,430.37	70.38

Total import value was US$1.121 billion, an increase of 37.4 per cent over US$816 million in 1999. The import value of primary goods and manufactured products amounted to US$143 million and US$978 million respectively, making up 4.72 per cent and 95.28 per cent of the total imports. The city's imports came from 61 countries and regions, 21 more than 1999. Although the sources of imports were more diversified, the top five markets (see Table 7.37.3) still had a dominant share in the city's total imports.

Table 7.37.3: Top five import markets, Nantong City, 1995 and 2000

Country/region	Import value (US$ million)	% of import total
1995
Japan	123.93	38.49
USA	63.41	19.69
Republic of Korea	37.95	11.79
Hong Kong	27.79	8.63
Malaysia	13.20	4.09
Total	290.74	90.29
2000
Japan	475.23	42.39
Republic of Korea	191.59	17.09
USA	106.48	9.5
Taiwan Province	103.58	9.24
Hong Kong	28.61	2.55
Total	905.49	80.77