Both imports and exports maintained growth. In 2001, the total volume of imports and exports reached US$509.8 billion, up 7.5 percent over 2000. The value of exports totaled US$266.2 billion, up 6.8 percent, and that of imports was US$243.6 billion, up 8.2 percent. Of the total exports, the general trade exports were valued at US$111.9 billion, a rise of 6.4 percent, and the processing trade exports at US$147.5 billion, up 7.1 percent. Exports of electromechanical and high-tech products increased at a faster rate. The exports of electromechanical products were valued at US$118.8 billion, up 12.8 percent, constituting 44.6 percent of the total volume of exports, a rise of 2.3 percentage points over the previous year. The exports of high-tech products reached US$46.5 billion, up 25.4 percent, accounting for 17.5 percent of the total volume of exports, an increase of 2.6 percentage points.

In 2001, exports to the United States were valued at US$54.3 billion, up 4.2 percent over 2000. Exports to Hong Kong region reached US$46.5 billion, up 4.6 percent; to Japan US$45 billion, up 7.9 percent; to European Union US$40.9 billion, up 7.1 percent; to ASEAN countries US$18.4 billion, up 6 percent; to the Republic of Korea US$12.5 billion, up 10.9 percent; to Russia US$2.7 billion, up 21.4 percent; to Latin America US$8.2 billion, up 14.6 percent; and to Africa US$6 billion, up 19.1 percent.

Foreign direct investment increased significantly. The year 2001 saw approval of 26,139 new projects using foreign capital, an increase of 16 percent over 2000. The contractual foreign investment reached US$69.2 billion, up 10.4 percent, and the foreign direct investment actually used totaled US$46.8 billion, up 14.9 percent.

Foreign economic cooperative business maintained continuous growth. The business volume accomplished in 2001 reached US$12.1 billion, up 7.2 percent. New contracts signed with foreign countries involved US$16.5 billion, up 10.1 percent.