World textile and apparel trade and production trends: China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan

摘要

China continued to be the world's largest producer and exporter of textiles and clothing in 2016. However, its share of world textile and clothing exports is estimated to have fallen during the year as textile and clothing exports from the country fell by 7.4%. China remains the dominating force in the Canadian, EU, Japanese and US import markets although its share of textile and clothing imports in each of these markets fell in 2016. Despite these falls in share, production of textiles in China grew in 2016 and again during January-March 2017. There was also a substantial rise in Chinese retail sales of clothing. In Hong Kong, domestic exports and re-exports of textiles and clothing declined in 2016. However, domestic exports alone fell at a steeper rate and, as a result, the share of re-exports in total textile and clothing exports rose to an overwhelming 99.4%. Reflecting the fall in domestic exports, textile and clothing production continued to decline in 2016.