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Apr exports value down 13%

The value of Hong Kong's total exports decreased to $338.3 billion in April, down 13% on the same month last year, the Census & Statistics Department announced today.   The value of imports of goods decreased 11.9% to $374.9 billion for the same period.   A trade deficit of $36.6 billion, or 9.8% of the value of imports, was recorded in April.   Comparing the three-month period ending April with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the value of exports rose 15.4%, while that of imports increased 10.7%.   The Government noted that the value of merchandise exports declined further from a year earlier in April. Exports to the Mainland, the US and the European Union all shrank and exports to other major Asian markets recorded decreases of varying degrees.   Looking ahead, it added that the weakness in the advanced economies will continue to weigh on Hong Kong's export performance, though the expected faster recovery of the Mainland economy should

National Security Law forum set

The Department of Justice will hold a forum on the National Security Law on July 5, bringing together legal experts and academics to discuss the application and interpretation of the security law.   The National Security Law was promulgated and took effect on June 30, 2020, and has been implemented for almost a year. The Security Brings Prosperity forum aims to enhance understanding and awareness of it.   The legal forum comprises a series of keynote speeches given by distinguished speakers and three panel discussions that will examine the substantive and procedural aspects of the National Security Law and deliver a comparative study of national security laws of other jurisdictions.   The forum will be held online. Click here for details and the live webcast arrangements.
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