China's customs revenue totaled 73.2 billion yuan (US$8.8 billion) in the first two months of 2004, up 37 percent year on year, latest figures from the General Administration of Customs show.

The customs income includes 16.9 billion yuan in tariffs and 56.3 billion yuan in import taxes, according to statistics.

The General Administration of Customs attributed the sharp increase to the growth of China's foreign trade, more efficient work in collecting taxes as well as crackdown on smuggling.
 
(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2004)