China is fourth largest trading nation
1 June 2002
The strong increase in China's trade during 2001 against the background of a global economic downturn made it the fourth largest trading nation in the world, according to statistics compiled by the World Trade Organisation. China's exports totalled US$266bn, an increase of 7 per cent on 2000, and imports stood at US$244bn, 8 per cent higher.
China's performance was in sharp contrast to that of other Asian countries, which were much harder hit by the global downturn, caused by the bursting of the IT bubble and sluggish demand in the US and the EU.
