Mainland-Macao trade drops 7.2 pct in H1

Trade between the Chinese mainland and Macao decreased by 7.2 percent year on year to 1.66 billion U.S. dollars during the first half of 2014, the Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday.

The mainland's exports to Macao dropped 1 percent year on year to 1.55 billion U.S. dollars during the Jan.-June period. Macao's exports to the mainland totaled 110 million U.S. dollars, a decrease of 50.6 percent year on year, according to the ministry's figures.

Measured by overseas investments in actual use, Macao investments accounted for 0.8 percent of total overseas investments in the mainland during the first half.

Mainland authorities approved 161 investment projects from Macao businesspeople during the period, a year-on-year increase of 15 percent.

Mainland businesses had worked on seven contracts in Macao from Jan. to June, earning a business revenue of 240 million U.S. dollars.

In June, the mainland's trade with Macao increased 6.9 percent from the previous month to reach 290 million U.S. dollars, the ministry said.