Macao’s merchandise imports fell by 3.7 percent year-on-year to 113.23 billion patacas in the first 11 months of last year, the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC) announced this week. According to the DSEC figures, imports accounted for 89.9 percent of Macao’s total external trade in goods (125.97 billion patacas) between January and November last year, resulting in a trade balance deficit of 100.48 billion patacas. Macao’s merchandise exports rose by 2.5 percent year-on-year to 12.74 billion patacas. Re-exports (11.42 billion patacas) accounted for 89.6 percent of total exports.

READ MORE: Macao's February external merchandise trade increases year-on-year

Some 71.5 percent of Macao’s exports were shipped to Hong Kong. A mere 2.0 percent and 1.5 percent of total exports went to the United States and the European Union, respectively. Most of Macao’s imports originated from the Chinese mainland (31.5 percent), Hong Kong (5.7 percent), France (14.3 percent), and Italy (10.2 percent). Food and beverages rose by 3.4 percent to 20.6 billion patacas, making up the largest segment of imports, followed by garments and footwear (10.99 billion patacas; down by 5.6 percent) and gold jewelry (10.49 billion patacas; up by 12.4 percent). All the other import segments totaled less than 10 billion patacas in the 11-month period.

Macao is a separate customs territory and a free port of the People’s Republic of China. It is a founding member of the World Trade Organization.