East China's Fujian Province exported 97 million US dollars worth of ceramics to the European Union (EU) in the first ten months this year, a rise of 28.56 percent year on year, according to customs figures.

Fujian's ceramics export to EU accounted for 31.4 percent of the province's total ceramics export for the ten-month period, which exceeded the province's export to the United States for the same period, according to the Customs of Fuzhou, capital of Fujian Province. EU became the largest export market of Fujian's ceramics.

Fujian exported 309 million US dollars of ceramics in the first ten months this year, up 25.53 percent over the same period of last year.

EU abolished import quotas for China's ceramics starting from January 1 this year, bringing new opportunities for China's ceramics export,according officers with the Fuzhou Customs.

But they warned that China faces great difficulties to further expand its ceramics export, citing the technical and trade barriers posted by foreign countries as the major factors that would hold back China's ceramics export.

The European Commission recently issued an order setting higher standard for imported ceramics for daily use, especially porcelain dishware. China's ceramics export has also encountered anti-dumping measures in India, Mexico and the Philippines.

Customs officers urged local ceramics export firms to improve their competitiveness and capabilities, so as to better deal with the challenges from possible technical and trade barriers.

Source: Xinhua