Chinese air imports grow with 23 percent in first half 2008

AMSTERDAM, September 03, 2008 (WorldACD) - Seabury Cargo Advisory reports that air imports into China grew with on average 23.1 percent in the first six months of 2008, compared to the same period in the year before.

Air imports into the Beijing area grew with 34 percent, well above China’s average. Conversely, air imports into the Shanghai region increased with 17 percent.

Chinese air imports from Germany, China’s second largest import partner, grew by 37 percent in the first half of 2008. This was mainly caused by significantly increased imports of vehicle gearboxes and parts. Air imports from South Korea, China’s fourth largest sourcing country, increased with almost 50 percent. The surge in imports of storage batteries, cell phones and optical fibers mainly contributed to this rise.