Forum | China-Lusophone trade rises 1.17% in the first half of 2019

The value of trade between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries grew marginally by 1.17% year-on-year from January to June 2019 to $70.14 billion (566.9 billion patacas), according to official Chinese figures released by Forum Macau.

Chinese exports to the eight Portuguese-speaking countries in the first six months of the year totaled $19.70 billion (a year-on-year drop of 6.13%) and imports totaled $50.43 billion (+4.34%), leading to a trade deficit for China of $30.72 billion.

Trade with Brazil increased by 0.33% in the first half to $51.96 billion, with China buying goods worth $36.31 billion (+4.99%) from Brazilian companies and selling products worth $15.64 billion (-9.03%).

Trade with Angola totaled $13.64 billion (+1.90%) in the period under review, with Chinese exports of $935 million (-10.26%) and imports of $12.70 billion (+2.93%).

Portugal comes next by value with a trade with China of $3.27 million (+15.66%), of which $2.15 billion (+22.66%) were Chinese exports and $1.11 billion. (+4.20) were Portuguese exports.

Trade with Mozambique amounted to $1.15 million (-5.05%) from January to June, with Chinese companies exporting $864 million (-2.81%) and importing goods worth $285 million (-11.24%).

Trade with the other Portuguese-speaking countries – Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe and Timor-Leste – reached $110 million in the first half of the year. MDT/Macauhub