Forum | China-Lusophone trade grows 11% in first quarter

Trade between China and Portuguese-speaking countries grew 11.62% in the period from January to March 2019, increasing to USD33.7 billion (about MOP272 billion), according to official Chinese figures released by Forum Macau.

China exported goods worth a total of $9.21 billion (an increase of 0.38% year-on-year) to the eight Portuguese-speaking countries and imported products valued at $24.4 billion (+16.53%), registering a trade deficit of $15.28 billion in the period.

Exchanges with Brazil, China’s main trading partner worldwide, had a total value of $25.01 billion (+16.5%), with Chinese companies selling goods worth $7.3 billion (-2.35%) and Brazilian companies placing products in the amount of $17.71 billion (+26.57%) on the Chinese market.

With Angola, which ranks second in this context, two-way trade reached $6.4 billion (-5.82%), with China selling goods worth $378 million (-21.46%) and buying products worth $6.03 billion (-4.62%).

Portugal and China recorded trade of $1.57 million (+17.24%) in the period. Chinese companies sold goods worth $1.03 billion (+26.36%) and Portuguese companies exported products worth $545 million (+3.18%).

With Mozambique, trade amounted to $644 million (+21.16%), with China selling products worth $451 million (+23.7%) and buying goods worth $192 million (+15.59%).

Trade between China and the other Portuguese-speaking countries – Cabo Verde, Guinea Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe and Timor-Leste – reached $52.9 million in the first quarter of 2019.