Medan, N Sumatra (ANTARA) – China remained the largest export market for North Sumatra in the first half of 2021, with total exports valued at US$750.699 million, according to Statistics Indonesia (BPS).

“North Sumatra’s exports to China continued to increase amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first semester (January-June) of 2021, the exports increased to US$750.699 million,” chief of the Statistics Indonesia (BPS) Office in North Sumatra, Syech Suhaim, said here on Friday.

North Sumatra’s exports to China in the first half reflected an 87.42-percent increase compared to the corresponding period of last year, when they were valued at US$400.553 million, he informed.

North Sumatra’s exports to China mainly comprised crude palm oil and rubber, he said.

Meanwhile, North Sumatra’s imports from China also increased to US$670.434 million in January-June 2021 from US$568.352 million in the year-ago period, Suhaim said.

Overall, North Sumatra enjoyed a surplus of US$80.265 million in its trade with China in the first half of 2021, he added.

Though Indonesia recorded a deficit in its trade with China in the first half of 2021, it managed to narrow the trade gap to US$3.19 billion.

“During the first semester (January-June 2021), our trade deficit with China was US$3.19 billion, our lowest since 2005,” Minister Muhammad Lutfi informed at the Economy Dialogue, held online on Thursday (August 5, 2021).

Source: ANTARA News