Beijing reports slowdown in foreign trade growth

    -- Impacts of the global financial meltdown are becoming apparent in the foreign trade sect of China's national capital, Beijing.



The growth rate of imports??exports in Beijing has been declining f six months. F instance, the year-on-year rise in May was 73.1 percent, but in October, the increase was only 45.6 percent, said a document posted on the Beijing District Custom's website.



Beijing's imports were mainly crude??processed oils, iron ores, automobiles??farm produce. Its exports were high-tech products such as cell phones, garments, steel products??coke.



Beijing Customs advised departments to establish a precautionary mechanism within industries to minimize the declining growth rate. Specifics were not released.



It's website showed Beijing's imports??exports totaled 237.3billion U.S. dollars in the January-October period, up 54.4 percent year on year.



Exports made up 47.9 billion U.S. dollars, up 21.8 percent, while imports were 189.4 billion U.S. dollars, a rise of 65.6 percent.



The European Union remained Beijing's No.1 foreign trade partner in terms of foreign trade volume in the first 10 months of the year. It was followed by Saudi Arabia, Angola, Japan, ASEAN??the United States.