Customs statistics from Fujian province, show foreign trade value from January to May grew 13.3 per cent year on year to US$27.06 billion, Logistics Week reported.

Export value rose 17.4 per cent to $18 billion while the value of imports value rose 5.8 per cent to $8.95 billion.



Taiwan remained the biggest origin of Fujian imports. From January to May, value of imports from Taiwan grew slightly by 1.1 per cent to $1.9 billion. The biggest export market for Fujian's products were to the US, Europe, Japan, ASEAN states and Hong Kong.



Export of garments, shoes and agricultural produce grew by 22.9 per cent, 15.3 per cent and 26.53 per cent respectively.



Fuzhou customs said provincial foreign trade statistics will soon be affected by Beijing's tax policy. Tax refund on steel export has been lowered or cancelled since April 15. The report said the state is also going to reduce tax refund on export of low value-added products like apparel and shoes in the future.



But technical barriers to trade in Fujian's major export markets will not help, such as the new European law on chemicals, REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation of Chemicals), that came into force June 1, and Japan's new standard on food import implemented since April 1.