Suzhou, a scenic city in East China's Jiangsu Province, exported 15.97 million laptop computers valued at US$ 10.9 billion in 2005, the local customs said.

The figures were up 70 percent and 65 percent respectively over the previous year.

The European Union and the United States are the top two destination markets, which bought 7.32 million and 4.8 million laptops respectively from Suzhou manufacturers last year, Suzhou customs said.

Insiders attribute the export rise to the city's long-term development of export-oriented industries, which have drawn an increasing number of laptop manufacturers with mature technology, high output, low production cost and advanced marketing expertise.

(Xinhua News Agency January 30, 2006)