China tops list of Panama free trade area's source of imports

China topped the list of nations exporting goods to Panama's Colon free trade area in 2005, Panama's Comptroller General said in a statement on Tuesday .

According to the document, China's Hong Kong represented 20.5 percent of all trade within the zone, while the mainland represented 4.5 percent.

The bulk of Chinese goods -- electronics, footwear, clothing and textiles -- were exported through Hong Kong, the document said.

Total imports of the free trade area topped 5.747 billion U.S. dollars in 2005, and the beginning of 2006 saw an increase of 17.6 percent year on year.

Severo Souza, president of the trade area's users association, said he hoped that the first quarter trend would continue in coming months.

Source: Xinhua