A total of 39.9 million tons of inward and outward cargo was transported by road between Hong Kong and Chinese mainland in 2003, Hong Kong's Census and Statistics Department said on Monday.

Road traffic has long been an important means for transporting goods between Hong Kong and the mainland. In the last decade, road cargo throughput grew at an average annual rate of 2 percent, and accounted for 16 percent to 18 percent of the total, the department said in the latest issue of the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics.

In 2003, 39.9 million tons of cargo was transported by road, including 20.8 million tons (52 percent) of inward cargo and 19.2 million tons (48 percent) of outward cargo.

Among the inward cargo, 5.2 million tons were machinery and transport equipment; 3 million tons were manufactured goods classified chiefly by material; 2.2 million tons were toys, games and sports goods; and 1.7 million tons were articles of apparel and clothing accessories.

For outward cargo, 6.2 million tons were manufactured goods classified chiefly by material; 5.6 million tons were chemicals and related products; and 3.9 million tons were machinery and transport equipment.

Source: Xinhua