Xifres de comerç exterior de Hong Kong SAR, Xina

Foreign Trade in Figures

Hong Kong's economy is considered a model of capitalism due to its commitment to free trade, with foreign trade representing 353% of its GDP, the third-largest share worldwide (World Bank, latest data available). According to the WTO, Hong Kong ranked as the world’s 10th largest trading entity in merchandise trade and 21st largest in commercial services in 2023.  In the same year, the country’s main exports comprised electronic integrated circuits; parts thereof (33.7%), telephone sets, incl. telephones for cellular (11.3%), gold, incl. gold plated with platinum, unwrought (7.0%), automatic data-processing machines and units (4.5%), parts and accessories (other than covers, carrying – 3.8%); whereas imports were led by electronic integrated circuits; parts thereof (30.9%), telephone sets, incl. telephones for cellular (10.8%), gold, incl. gold plated with platinum, unwrought (9.1%), articles of jewellery and parts thereof (3.2%), automatic data-processing machines and units (3.1% - data Comtrade).

In 2023, export destinations included China (57.4%), the United States (6.1%), India (3.8%), United Arab Emirates (2.7%), and Vietnam (2.5%); whereas imports came chiefly from China (40%), Singapore (6.8%), Japan (5.2%), South Korea (4.4%), and the United States (4% - data Comtrade). To date, Hong Kong has signed nine FTAs with 21 economies, including Mainland China, New Zealand, the Member States of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), Chile, Macao Special Administrative Region, ASEAN, Georgia, Australia, and Peru.

According to data by WTO, Hong Kong merchandise exports reached USD 573.8 billion in 2023 (-5.9% y-o-y), compared to USD 653.7 billion in imports (-2% y-o-y). As per services, exports stood at USD 98.8 billion against USD 79.2 billion in imports (+19% and +25.3% y-o-y, respectively). The overall trade balance for the year was estimated to be positive by 0.7% of the country’s GDP by the World Bank (from 4.1% one year earlier). According to preliminary figures from the C&SD, the value of total goods exports rose by 10.7% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2024, while imports increased by 7.1%. Overall trade grew by 8.8% compared to the previous year, reaching USD 6,969.8 billion during the same period.