China exported less cement in the first eight months of this year as a result of ebbing demand in developed nations and more difficult market access at home and less export rebates, sources with the General Administration of Customs said Saturday.

Mounting demand for post-disaster reconstruction at home, especially in the southwestern province of Sichuan, which suffered a major earthquake on May 12 and following aftershocks, also contributed to the decrease in exports, the sources added.

From January and August, China sold abroad 18.65 million tonnes of cement for 760 million U.S. dollars, a decline of 22.4 percent and 6.8 percent, respectively, from the same period of last year.

Exports to the United States and European Union went down drastically while that to Africa increased.

In the eight months, China sold 3.71 million tonnes of cement to Africa, up 29.3 percent, 3.28 million tonnes to the European Union, down 56.4 percent, and 1.82 million tonnes to the United States, down 52.1 percent.

Of the total exports, 57.2 percent, or 10.66 million tonnes, were sold by state-owned enterprises, down 19 percent, 4.57 million tonnes by foreign-funded companies, down 23.8 percent, and 3.099 million tonnes by private businesses, down 21.6 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency November 15, 2008)