External Merchandise Trade Statistics for July 2024
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (August 27) the external merchandise trade statistics for July 2024. In July 2024, the values of Hong Kong's total exports and imports of goods both recorded year-on-year increases, at 13.1% and 9.9% respectively.
In July 2024, the value of total exports of goods increased by 13.1% over a year earlier to $390.4 billion, after a year-on-year increase by 10.7% in June 2024. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods increased by 9.9% over a year earlier to $412.3 billion in July 2024, after a year-on-year increase by 9.0% in June 2024. A visible trade deficit of $21.8 billion, equivalent to 5.3% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in July 2024.
For the first seven months of 2024 as a whole, the value of total exports of goods increased by 12.4% over the same period in 2023. Concurrently, the value of imports of goods increased by 8.0%. A visible trade deficit of $182.8 billion, equivalent to 6.6% of the value of imports of goods, was recorded in the first seven months of 2024.
Comparing the three-month period ending July 2024 with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of total exports of goods increased by 1.0%. Meanwhile, the value of imports of goods increased by 0.2%.
Analysis by country/territory
Comparing July 2024 with July 2023, total exports to Asia as a whole grew by 15.7%. In this region, increases were registered in the values of total exports to some major destinations, in particular Malaysia (+39.2%), the mainland of China (the Mainland) (+23.0%), Vietnam (+21.7%), Thailand (+20.2%) and the Philippines (+19.2%). On the other hand, decreases were recorded in the values of total exports to India (-27.9%) and Singapore (-16.8%).
Apart from destinations in Asia, increases were registered in the values of total exports to some major destinations in other regions, in particular the Netherlands (+78.9%) and the USA (+19.7%). On the other hand, a decrease was recorded in the value of total exports to the United Kingdom (-31.0%).
Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports from some major suppliers, in particular Vietnam (+80.4%), Korea (+34.4%), Taiwan (+20.6%), Malaysia (+19.1%) and the Mainland (+12.2%). On the other hand, a decrease was recorded in the value of imports from Thailand (-43.4%).
For the first seven months of 2024 as a whole, year-on-year increases were registered in the values of total exports to some major destinations, in particular Thailand (+30.2%), Vietnam (+23.2%), the Mainland (+20.0%), the USA (+17.1%) and the United Arab Emirates (+8.0%). On the other hand, a decrease was recorded in the value of total exports to India (-8.8%).
Over the same period of comparison, year-on-year increases were registered in the values of imports from some major suppliers, in particular Vietnam (+52.2%), Korea (+50.6%), Singapore (+19.6%), the Mainland (+9.7%) and the USA (+4.1%). On the other hand, a decrease was recorded in the value of imports from the Philippines (-14.3%).
Analysis by major commodity
Comparing July 2024 with July 2023, increases were registered in the values of total exports of some principal commodity divisions, in particular "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $22.1 billion or +13.7%) and "office machines and automatic data processing machines" (by $20.5 billion or +62.3%).
Over the same period of comparison, increases were registered in the values of imports of some principal commodity divisions, in particular "office machines and automatic data processing machines" (by $16.9 billion or +65.8%) and "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $16.4 billion or +10.0%).
For the first seven months of 2024 as a whole, year-on-year increases were registered in the values of total exports of some principal commodity divisions, in particular "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $136.1 billion or +12.6%) and "office machines and automatic data processing machines" (by $67.9 billion or +31.0%).
Over the same period of comparison, year-on-year increases were registered in the values of imports of most principal commodity divisions, in particular "electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof" (by $106.7 billion or +9.6%) and "office machines and automatic data processing machines" (by $50.8 billion or +28.9%).
Commentary
A Government spokesman said that the value of merchandise exports posted further double-digit growth in July 2024 over a year earlier. Exports to the Mainland, the United States and the European Union continued to expand visibly. Meanwhile, those to other major Asian markets showed mixed performance.
Looking ahead, Hong Kong's exports should sustain a positive performance if external demand holds up, though geopolitical tensions and trade conflicts will present risks. The Government will monitor the situation closely.
Further information
Table 1 presents the analysis of external merchandise trade statistics for July 2024. Table 2 presents the original monthly trade statistics from January 2021 to July 2024, and Table 3 gives the seasonally adjusted series for the same period.
The values of total exports of goods to 10 main destinations for July 2024 are shown in Table 4, whereas the values of imports of goods from 10 main suppliers are given in Table 5.
Tables 6 and 7 show the values of total exports and imports of 10 principal commodity divisions for July 2024.
All the merchandise trade statistics described here are measured at current prices and no account has been taken of changes in prices between the periods of comparison. A separate analysis of the volume and price movements of external merchandise trade for July 2024 will be released in mid-September 2024.
The July 2024 issue of "Hong Kong External Merchandise Trade" contains detailed analysis on the performance of Hong Kong's external merchandise trade in July 2024 and will be available in early September 2024. Users can browse and download the report at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1020005&scode=230).
Enquiries on merchandise trade statistics may be directed to the Trade Analysis Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4691).
Source: AI-generated images
CHP appeals for heightened vigilance against invasive Group B Streptococcus
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (September 13) appealed to members of the public for heightened vigilance against invasive Group B Streptococcus and in particular, urged them to pay attention when touching or handling raw freshwater fish and should wear gloves, as well as not to consume undercooked freshwater fish.
Hong Kong has recorded in 2021 summer (between September and October) a cluster of more than 50 cases of Group B Streptococcus, belonged to serotype III sequence type 283 (ST283). The then investigation found that the infections were associated with contact of raw freshwater fish or consumption of undercooked freshwater fish. The CHP subsequently enhanced surveillance on the relevant cases with the Hospital Authority (HA). The recent surveillance data revealed an upward trend in the number of in-patients tested positive for invasive Group B Streptococcus during last month and September 11. The CHP immediately conducted further laboratory analysis of the cases in collaboration with the HA and the preliminary result showed that 27 of the cases were ST283. The CHP's analysis of some of the samples is still in progress and it cannot rule out that the number of cases will further increase.
The CHP's epidemiological investigations showed that the 27 patients with ST283 infections involved ten males and 17 females, aged between 53 and 88 (median: 70), residing in 18 districts throughout the territory, with no district clustering identified. Among them, 20 patients have underlying illness. The patients mainly presented with sepsis (15 patients), joint abscess (nine patients), meningitis (two patients) and urinary tract infection (one patient). The HA's information showed that among the 27 patients, five have been discharged, 17 hospitalised patients are in stable condition, three in serious condition and the other two passed away. The CHP is obtaining further information on the cause of death from HA.
The CHP also conducted an in-depth investigation on the exposure history of individual patients prior to the onset of the disease in order to identify the possible sources of infection. It was found that about 90 per cent of the patients had contact with or handled raw freshwater fish, prior to the onset of their disease. Seven of them reported that they had wounds on their hands when handling raw freshwater fish, but no infected person reported that they had consumed freshwater fish sashimi. Based on the above information, the CHP considered that the cause of infection was related to the handling of or contact with raw freshwater fish (especially with wound on the hands).
In addition, investigations revealed that 19 patients had been to freshwater fish stalls in markets and contacted freshwater fish, which involved 14 markets located in different districts. The personnel of the CHP had inspected markets where some of the patients had visited and wholesale fish markets supplying live fish to conduct epidemiological investigations. A total of 71 relevant workers have been monitored and no symptomatic worker found. The CHP has provided health education to the workers and will continue to monitor health conditions of workers of other fish stalls. During the investigations, it was identified that the ST283 isolates of environmental and fish samples collected from a retail freshwater fish stall inside the Shek Wu Hui Market is identical to those found in some patients. For prudence's sake, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has arranged thorough cleansing and disinfection for all freshwater fish stalls inside Shek Wu Hui Market. The investigations of the CHP are ongoing.
The CHP, the FEHD and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) held a joint meeting today to review the relevant situation. The FEHD's personnel will inspect all fish stalls, licensed Fresh Provision Shops and Permitted Premises selling freshwater fishin Hong Kong, provide education on hygiene to relevant workers and request them to strengthen cleaning and disinfection work at the premises. The FEHD conducts thorough cleaning at each public market every day and will pay special attention to the hygiene condition in the vicinity of freshwater fish stalls in the markets. Separately, the AFCD confirmed no abnormality has been observed regarding freshwater fish in wholesale fish markets and will continue to monitor the condition of live fish.
"Literature reported that ST283 exists in freshwater fish, especially in Southeast Asia countries, and with seasonal pattern. Association between invasive Group B Streptococcal infection of ST283 and consumption of raw freshwater fish was also reported in overseas literature," a spokesman for the CHP said.
"Members of the public shall wear gloves when touching or handling raw freshwater fish. If symptoms such as inflamed wound and fever develop, they should seek medical attention promptly. Meanwhile, the public should refrain from consuming undercooked freshwater fish," a spokesman for the CHP reminded.
The CHP will issue a letter to doctors to enhance their alertness for Group B Streptococcus infection cases. The CHP will continue to provide advice to members of the public through different channels to minimise the infection risk and work together with relevant departments to enhance publicity, especially health education related to wound care and consumption of freshwater fish.
A spokesman for the FEHD said that in order to protect public health, freshwater fish sashimi is a prohibited food item under the Food Business Regulation (Cap. 132X) in Hong Kong.
To prevent Group B Streptococcus (ST283) infection, members of the public are reminded to maintain personal, food and environmental hygiene and should keep their hands clean and practice good wound care at all times, especially:
To minimise the infection risks, workers of aquatic products or restaurants must wear gloves when handling aquatic products and avoid direct contact with aquatic products or dirty water with bare hands;
When buying aquatic products, the public must avoid direct contact with the aquatic products or use any towel provided by the stalls. They should wash hands with liquid soap and water as soon as possible if having contact with aquatic products which are not fully cooked. When handling aquatic products at home, the public should also wear gloves and wash hands thoroughly afterwards;
Members of the public must not eat any freshwater fish sashimi, raw or undercooked freshwater aquatic products. When consuming hot pot food or congee items which consist of aquatic products, they should ensure that the food is thoroughly cooked in which the centre of the food should reach a temperature of at least 75 degrees Celsius so as to destroy pathogen; and
People must not touch aquatic products directly whenever there is a wound on hands. If a wound is sustained during handling aquatic products, the wound must be cleaned immediately and properly covered with waterproof adhesive dressings. Individuals should seek medical advice promptly when wound infection is found.
The public may visit the CHP's Invasive Group B Streptococcus Infection associated with Sequence Type 283 (ST283) page for more information.
Source: AI-generated images
