Foreign trade

In 2000, Xiamen's total import and export value increased by 26.20 per cent, rising to US$10.049 billion from US$7.963 billion in 1999. 58.5 per cent of the total trade came from exports, the total value of which in 2000 amounted toUS$5.879 billion, up by 32.54 per cent over US$4.436 million in 1999. Export value was equivalent to 96.9 per cent of the city's GDP (RMB50.115 billion or about US$6.067 billion) and 45.54 per cent the total export value of the Fujian Province. Export commodities were sold to 151 countries and regions (see Table 7.47.2).

Table 7.47.2: Top five export markets, Xiamen City, 2000

Country/region	Export value (US$ million)	% of export total
USA	1,446.16	24.94
Japan	1,037.77	17.65
Hong Kong	764.3	12.98
Taiwan Province	196.67	3.35
Germany	194.76	3.31
Total	3,639.66	62.23

Total import value was US$4.170 billion, an increase of 18.23 per cent on US$3.527 billion in 1999. The top five markets (see Table 7.47.3) captured a share of 69.1 per cent of the city's total import spending.

Table 7.47.3: Top five import markets, Xiamen City, 1995 and 2000

Country/region	Import value (US$ million)	% of import total
1995
Hong Kong	545	21.34
Japan	142	5.55
Republic of Korea 98	3.83
Russia	77
3.01
UK	46	.8
Total	908	35.53
2000
Taiwan Province	994.64	23.86
Japan	693.45	16.63
USA	524.41	12.57
Republic of Korea	474.59	11.38
Hong Kong	194.13	4.66
Total	2,881.22	69.1