Beijing's exports of mobile phone sand parts to Europe reached US$1.265 billion last year, doubling the figure for the previous year, according to the latest statistics.

Major export destinations included Hungary, Germany and the Czech Republic, according to Beijing Customs.

The total exports of mobile phones and fittings reached US$1.81 billion last year, up 30.1 percent over the previous year.

However, the exports to Asian countries dropped by 35.9 percent to US$480 million last year.

The exports of mobile phone fittings alone totaled US$601 million last year, 13.7 times the figure for the previous year, while the exports of finished mobile phones went down for the first time since 1999 by 10.3 percent to US$1.209 billion last year.

Insiders say that fierce competition has stimulated mobile phone producers to export fittings and assemble mobile phones in export destinations instead of directly exporting finished mobile phones.

(China Daily January 27, 2004)