Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that total merchandise export amounted to MOP1.30 billion in March 2021, up by 26.7% year-on-year. Value of re-exports (MOP1.14 billion) rose by 28.0%, with that of Wine and Watches surging by 1,618.6% and 107.5% respectively. Meanwhile, value of domestic exports (MOP166 million) grew by 19.0%, with that of Bread, pastry, cakes, biscuits & other bakers’ wares and Copper & articles thereof soaring by 750.0% and 15.4% respectively. Total merchandise import swelled by 175.2% year-on-year to MOP11.42 billion, of which imports of Perfumes, Mobile phones, Gold jewellery and Beauty, cosmetic & skincare products jumping by 1,090.7%, 803.0%, 670.6% and 586.6% respectively, but that of Other textile made-up articles declined by 51.6%. Merchandise trade deficit in March 2021 totalled MOP10.12 billion.

In the first quarter this year, total value of merchandise export increased by 15.1% year-on-year to MOP3.46 billion, of which value of re-exports (MOP3.04 billion) and domestic exports (MOP426 million) rose by 14.8% and 16.9% respectively. Total value of merchandise import expanded by 82.5% year-on-year to MOP29.74 billion. Merchandise trade deficit totalled MOP26.28 billion for the first quarter of 2021, up by MOP12.99 billion from MOP13.29 billion a year earlier.

Analysed by destination, merchandise export to mainland China rose by 30.6% year-on-year to MOP434 million in the first quarter of 2021, of which exports to the Nine Provinces of the Pan Pearl River Delta (MOP393 million) increased by 24.4%. Exports to Hong Kong (MOP2.58 billion) and the USA (MOP130 million) grew by 21.3% and 20.9% respectively year-on-year, whereas exports to the EU (MOP48 million) slid by 3.8%. Exports to the Belt and Road Countries (MOP87 million) declined by 4.1%, while exports to the Portuguese-speaking Countries (MOP291 thousand) surged by 112.6%. Exports of Textiles & garments fell by 25.9% year-on-year to MOP325 million, while exports of Non-textiles went up by 22.1% to MOP3.14 billion.

By place of origin, merchandise import from mainland China (MOP10.04 billion) and the EU (MOP9.65 billion) in the first quarter of 2021 increased by 77.4% and 105.5% respectively year-on-year. Imports from the Belt and Road Countries (MOP5.77 billion) rose by 68.8%, while imports from the Portuguese-speaking Countries (MOP163 million) reduced by 14.5%. Analysed by place of consignment, merchandise import from Hong Kong (MOP24.57 billion) showed a year-on-year growth of 95.3%. Imports from mainland China expanded by 40.5% to MOP3.94 billion, of which imports from the Nine Provinces of the Pan Pearl River Delta (MOP3.85 billion) grew by 39.7%. Imports of Consumer goods went up by 89.6% to MOP21.55 billion, with imports of Garments & footwear (MOP3.34 billion), Beauty, cosmetic & skincare products (MOP3.10 billion), Watches (MOP2.73 billion) and Handbags & wallets (MOP2.57 billion) surging by 111.6%, 137.6%, 173.5% and 190.7% respectively. Imports of Mobile phones (MOP3.23 billion) and Construction materials (MOP671 million) leapt by 367.9% and 101.0% respectively, whereas imports of Fuels & lubricants (MOP1.22 billion) registered a decline of 6.0%.

External merchandise trade totalled MOP33.20 billion in the first quarter of 2021, up by 72.0% compared with MOP19.30 billion a year earlier.