Macau, China, 27 Sept – Portuguese exports to China and Singapore increased 48.8 percent in the first half of 2006 to 354.7 million euros, the chairman of the Portuguese export promotion agency, ICEP said Wednesday in Macau.

Speaking to Portuguese news agency Lusa, Joao Marques da Cruz said that the increase, “essentially reflects the increase in exports to China,” as Portugal does not traditionally trade with Singapore.

The analysis of the two markets is justified, however, by the fact that Singapore is a port that usually receives goods in transit destined for the people’s Republic of China.

Of the increase of 116.3 million euros in Portuguese exports, around 90 percent was due to growth in sales of “machinery and equipment” which rose from 198.5 million euros between January and June of 2005 to 296.4 million euros in the first half of this year.

Included in exports to China and Singapore are also agricultural and food products, fuel, wood and cork, footwear, base metals, optical and precision instruments, textiles and pulp and paper. (macauhub)