28th October 2026 – (Hong Kong) The Census and Statistics Department reported that Hong Kong’s external merchandise trade strengthened markedly in September, with the value of total exports of goods rising 64.9 per cent year on year to $762.6 billion, following a 53.0 per cent increase in August. Imports climbed 57.8 per cent to $808.9 billion after a 60.0 per cent gain in August, leaving a visible trade deficit of $46.3 billion, equivalent to 5.7 per cent of the value of imports of goods.
For the first nine months of 2026, total exports increased 45.2 per cent over the same period in 2025, while imports advanced 45.0 per cent. The cumulative visible trade deficit reached $417.7 billion, representing 7.0 per cent of the value of imports. On a seasonally adjusted quarter‑on‑quarter basis, total exports in the third quarter of 2026 rose 8.8 per cent and imports grew 7.9 per cent compared with the preceding quarter.
By destination, exports to Asia as a whole in September increased 67.5 per cent from a year earlier, with notable gains to Taiwan up 159.3 per cent, Malaysia up 131.5 per cent, Thailand up 118.0 per cent, Singapore up 77.5 per cent and the Chinese Mainland up 68.1 per cent. Outside Asia, shipments to Mexico surged 148.1 per cent and to the United States rose 133.4 per cent. On the import side, increases were recorded from most major suppliers, including Korea up 231.1 per cent, Vietnam up 118.7 per cent, Malaysia up 73.9 per cent, India up 61.3 per cent and the Mainland up 55.6 per cent.
Looking at the year to date, exports for the first nine months of 2026 posted broad‑based increases to key markets, with Taiwan up 82.2 per cent, Singapore up 81.8 per cent, the United States up 70.7 per cent, Thailand up 64.2 per cent, Malaysia up 62.3 per cent and the Mainland up 49.4 per cent. Over the same period, imports from major suppliers also rose strongly, led by Korea up 151.7 per cent, India up 98.5 per cent, the United Kingdom up 78.6 per cent, Vietnam up 77.5 per cent, Malaysia up 52.4 per cent and the Mainland up 46.1 per cent.
By commodity division, September saw substantial increases in exports of electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof, which grew by $155.6 billion or 66.2 per cent, and in office machines and automatic data processing machines, which rose by $87.7 billion or 183.7 per cent. Imports of these categories also advanced, with electrical machinery up by $153.5 billion or 64.5 per cent; office machines and automatic data processing machines up by $60.6 billion or 142.0 per cent; and telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment up by $49.0 billion or 81.7 per cent.
For January to September 2026, exports increased across most principal commodity divisions, including electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, and electrical parts thereof up by $973.7 billion or 52.6 per cent; office machines and automatic data processing machines up by $324.8 billion or 63.9 per cent; and telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment up by $225.7 billion or 51.4 per cent. Corresponding imports rose by $953.6 billion or 51.3 per cent for electrical machinery; by $297.3 billion or 63.3 per cent for telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment; and by $231.1 billion or 53.8 per cent for office machines and automatic data processing machines.
A Government spokesman noted that merchandise exports surged 64.9 per cent year on year in September, underpinned by continued exceptional demand for AI‑related electronic products. The spokesman highlighted that this marked the twentieth consecutive month of double‑digit growth and the fastest monthly expansion in more than four decades, with increases recorded across all major markets. Looking ahead, the spokesman said Hong Kong’s merchandise trade should continue to benefit from robust AI‑related investment and resilient global growth, while cautioning that risks from the Middle East conflict, protectionist measures among major economies and the rapid expansion of global AI investment warrant close monitoring.