Trade between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries totalled US$57.358 billion in the first half of the year, up 37.58% compared to the same period of last year, according to official Chinese figures released by Forum Macau.

In the first six months of the year, China sold products to the value of US$16.586 billion (+28.20%) to the eight Portuguese-speaking countries and bought goods valued at US$40.772 billion (+41.80%), assuming a trade deficit of US$24.86 billion.

Brazil, which accounted for 73% of all trade in this group of countries in the period under review at US$41.835 billion (+35.23%), sold goods worth US$28.826 billion to China (+34.38%) and bought Chinese products worth US$13.009 billion (+37.15%).

Angola posted trade with China in the amount of US$ 11.796 billion (+64.62%), selling products worth US$10.738 billion (+66.86%) and purchasing goods worth US$1.057 billion (+44.91%).

Portugal is in third place, far behind Brazil and Angola, with trade with China of US$2.734 billion (+3.79%), with Chinese exports of US$1.799 billion (-8.93%) and imports of US$935 million (+41.98%).

Between China and Mozambique trade reached US$877 million (+2.59%) in the first half of the year, with Chinese exports of US$606 million (-6.50%) and Mozambican exports amounting to US$ 271 million (+31.11%).

China’s trade with the other Portuguese-speaking countries – Cabo Verde (Cape Verde), Guinea-Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe and Timor Leste (East Timor) – reached 113 million dollars in the period under analysis. (macauhub)