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Trade Minister, Mark Vaile, has welcomed today's trade figures
showing that Australian exporters are taking advantage of the
recovery in the East Asian region.
The figures show that merchandise exports to East Asia rose
6 per cent in March and were 27 per cent above their level in
March 1999.
"Total exports of goods and services in March this year
were 20 per cent above their level in March 1999," Mr Vaile
said.
"Rural exports continue to grow and in March this year
were 18 per cent above March last year. Services exports continue
to roar in the lead-up to the Olympics with a 7 per cent rise
in March.
"So far this financial year, exports of goods and services
are up 8 per cent on the same period last year, led by strong
growth of over 10 per cent in exports of manufactures. Rural
exports are up 5 per cent, with meat up 7 per cent, wool and
sheepskins up 6 per cent and other rural exports up 8 per cent.
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"This is a sharp contrast with a 1.6 per cent decline
in Australia's exports in 1998-99 as a result of the East Asian
crisis. These latest figures suggest that exports will finish
strongly in the 1999-2000 financial year."
Mr Vaile said that so far this financial year, merchandise
exports to East Asia were up 11 per cent, with exports to China
up 15 per cent, Malaysia up 13 per cent, Thailand up 22 per cent
and Singapore up 45 per cent. Exports to our two largest markets
in Asia, Japan and Korea, also grew strongly, up 7 per cent and
10 per cent respectively. Exports to the USA were up 14 per cent
during this period. |
