Foreign trade grows 23% in first 9 months

Foreign trade grows 23% in first 9 months DATE: 2008-10-24 Chile's foreign trade reached $99.88 billion from January to September 2008, an increase of 23 percent compared with the same period of 2007, authorities said Monday.



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Both exports and imports went up in the period, said the Chilean National Service of Customs.

Imports, totaling some $44.14 billion, grew by 45 percent, while exports reached $55.74 billion, a rise of 10 percent.



The United States, Chile's biggest trading partner, was responsible for 42 percent of Chile's total trade, or nearly $42 billion -- a growth of 32 percent from the same period last year.



Asia comprises 33 percent of Chile's foreign trade with over $1.47 billion, a growth of 16 percent, and Europe 22 percent with some $1.42 billion, which also rose by 15 percent.



China, Japan and South Korea, Chile's major trading partners in Asia, were responsible for 82 percent of the trade between Chile and the region.



MINISTRY OF COMMERCE,PRC