The newly-enlarged European Union has overtaken Japan as China's biggest trade partner during the first five months of this year, the Chinese General Administration of Customs said Friday.

But Japan remains China's biggest source of imports and the United States the country's No.1 overseas market, according to the figures released Friday by the administration.

Two-way trade with the EU reached US$65.72 billion during the period, up 35.9 percent year-on-year, according to Customs figures. The figure represents 15.5 percent of the country's overall foreign trade volume of US$423.84 billion for the five months.

Trade between China and Japan totaled US$64.1 billion during the five months, up 27.2 percent. Japan remains China's biggest source of imports.

The United States, which is still the biggest overseas market for China, follows Japan as China's third biggest trade partner with bilateral trade standing at US$62.36 billion, up 34.4percent.

China's trade with the Republic of Korea, Canada and Australia, also major trade partners with China, grew by 48.4 percent, 47.6 percent and 46.8 percent, respectively, the Customs figures show.

(Xinhua News Agency June 11, 2004)