(Yicai Global) Nov. 9 -- China's imports and exports of electronic products have risen to 30 percent from less than 1 percent of the country's total foreign trade 40 years ago.

The China Information Technology Industry Federation and Chinese Institute of Electronics jointly released their Foreign Trade Development Report of Electronic Information Industry yesterday during a side event at the first China International Import Expo, which runs from Nov. 5 to 10 at Shanghai's National Convention & Exhibition Center.

Representing less than 1 percent of its foreign trade in the late 1970s, these imports and exports hit USD1.3 trillion last year after four decades' steady ascent to contribute more than 25 percent to the country's foreign trade growth, per the report.

China has become the world's largest manufacturer of electronic products with both the production and export of color TVs, mobile phones and computers claiming the number one spot.

The structure of this electronics trade is also undergoing adjustment with its patterns and partners diversifying and technology levels and value added rising.

China's electronic products export market basically covered all countries and regions by last year. The export shares of the other top 10 countries and regions dropped by 11 percentage points to 72 percent last year from 83 percent in 2001.

The import shares of these countries and regions similarly dropped 4 percentage points to 74 percent last year from 78 percent in 2001. 
China's electronic information industry will further consolidate its steady growth in foreign trade from this year to 2020, the report projects.

Editor: Ben Armour