Volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade in May 2026
Further to the external merchandise trade statistics in value terms for May 2026 released earlier on, the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (July 16) the volume and price statistics of external merchandise trade for that month.
In May 2026, the volume of Hong Kong's total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 25.8% and 27.4% respectively over May 2025.
Comparing the first five months of 2026 with the same period in 2025, the volume of Hong Kong's total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 27.6% and 31.0% respectively.
Comparing the three-month period ending May 2026 with the preceding three months on a seasonally adjusted basis, the volume of total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 10.8% and 11.0% respectively.
Changes in volume of external merchandise trade are derived from changes in external merchandise trade value with the effect of price changes discounted.
Comparing May 2026 with May 2025, the prices of total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 11.8% and 11.1% respectively.
As regards price changes in the first five months of 2026 over the same period in 2025, the prices of total exports of goods and imports of goods increased by 6.7% and 6.5% respectively.
Price changes in external merchandise trade are reflected by changes in unit value indices of external merchandise trade, which are compiled based on average unit values or, for certain commodities, specific price data.
The terms of trade index is derived from the ratio of price index of total exports of goods to that of imports of goods. Compared with the same periods in 2025, the index increased by 0.6% in May 2026 and 0.2% in the first five months of 2026.
Changes in the unit value and volume of total exports of goods by main destination are shown in Table 1.
Comparing May 2026 with May 2025, increases were recorded for the total export volume to Taiwan (70.7%), Vietnam (48.9%), the USA (40.4%) and Chinese Mainland (the Mainland) (31.2%). On the other hand, the total export volume to India decreased by 24.5%.
Over the same period of comparison, the total export prices to all main destinations increased: the Mainland (13.2%), Vietnam (11.9%), the USA (11.2%), Taiwan (10.0%) and India (10.0%).
Changes in the unit value and volume of imports of goods by main supplier are shown in Table 2.
Comparing May 2026 with May 2025, increases were recorded for the import volume from all main suppliers: Korea (67.2%), Vietnam (57.4%), the Mainland (35.0%), Singapore (14.8%) and Taiwan (3.1%).
Over the same period of comparison, the import prices from all main suppliers increased: Korea (24.3%), Taiwan (16.5%), the Mainland (11.7%), Singapore (9.7%) and Vietnam (8.6%).
Further information
Details of the above statistics are published in the May 2026 issue of "Hong Kong Merchandise Trade Index Numbers". Users can browse and download the report at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1020006&scode=230).
Enquiries on merchandise trade indices may be directed to the Trade Analysis Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3863 2599).
The Census and Statistics Department, Photo source: reference image
Secretary for Health meets with Health Commission of Sichuan Province delegation
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, met with a delegation led by the Director-General of the Health Commission of Sichuan Province, Mr Deng Zhengquan, today (July 16) to explore ways to deepen healthcare co-operation and exchanges between Sichuan and Hong Kong.
Professor Lo welcomed the delegation and expressed gratitude to the Health Commission of Sichuan Province for its support in promoting exchanges and co-operation between Sichuan and Hong Kong. At the meeting, both sides engaged in extensive discussions across a number of key areas, including the promotion of the inheritance and innovation of Chinese medicine, the training of medical talent and the enhancement of healthcare service quality.
Professor Lo said, "Sichuan and Hong Kong have long maintained close ties across a number of healthcare areas, particularly in the fields of talent cultivation, academic exchanges, and scientific research and innovation of Chinese medicine. The two places have been continuously and proactively exploring new areas for healthcare collaboration. Going forward, we can further leverage Sichuan's strengths in Chinese medicine resources and Hong Kong's role as an international hub for Chinese medicine information exchanges and innovation to jointly promote the inheritance, innovation, and high-quality development of Chinese medicine in both places. This will thereby better align with the strategy set out in the National 15th Five-Year Plan Outline to advance the inheritance and innovation of Chinese medicine and promote Chinese medicine to go global.
"The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government attaches great importance to medical exchanges with various Mainland provinces and will continue to deepen the co-operation between Hong Kong and Sichuan in the healthcare sector under the principles of complementarity and mutual benefits, while fully leveraging Hong Kong's distinctive advantages of enjoying the strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under the 'one country, two systems' principle, thereby jointly contributing to propelling the national strategy of 'Healthy China'."
Since the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Strategic Co-operation in Chinese Medicine in 2021, Sichuan and Hong Kong have continued to deepen the ties and exchanges, engaging in diverse forms of collaboration for the high-quality development of Chinese medicine, fully demonstrating the solid foundation of complementary advantages and co-ordinated progress in the field of Chinese medicine between the two places. The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong has also entered into collaboration agreements with the Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ineye Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, respectively, further strengthening the foundation for collaboration in Chinese medicine between the two places.
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, met with a delegation led by the Director-General of the Health Commission of Sichuan Province, Mr Deng Zhengquan, today (July 16). Photo shows Professor Lo (front row, fourth left), Mr Deng (front row, fourth right), and other attendees of the meeting. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau (fifth right), meets with a delegation led by the Director-General of the Health Commission of Sichuan Province, Mr Deng Zhengquan (fifth left), today (July 16) to explore ways to deepen healthcare co-operation and exchanges between Sichuan and Hong Kong. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
