China's exports and imports of high-tech products rose 32.7 percent in the first four months of this year to reach US$155.35 billion, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

The growth rate of high-tech trade was 8.7 percentage points higher than that of China's foreign trade sector in the first four months, said the ministry.

China exported high-tech products worth US$21.97 billion in April, a year-on-year rise of 30.9 percent. The high-tech imports came to US$20.38 billion in April, up 25 percent, the ministry said.

Statistics with the General Administration of Customs show that China's foreign trade volume was US$514.72 billion in the January-April period, up 24 percent year-on-year.

(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2005)