Ministry of Information Industry statistics show that foreign trade of Chinese IT industry totaled US$169 billion in the first half of 2004, a 54.5 percent rise over the same period in 2003, the latest edition of China Electronic News reported.

Import of the IT products has reached US$80.9 billion in the first six months, an increase of 46 percent.

Export of China's IT products in the period saw a better result of US$88.1 billion, a 55 percent increase over the first half of 2003, accounting for 35 percent of China's total export.

(Xinhua News Agency July 18, 2004)