Hong Kong recorded a 46.7 billion HK dollar (5.98 billion U.S. dollars) surplus in its balance of payments account in 2006, up 36 billion HK dollars over 2005, the Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong announced Friday.

Last year saw a current-account surplus of 157.3 billion HK dollars, similar to that of 157.3 billion HK dollars in 2005. A net outflow of financial non-reserve assets amounting to 152.8 billion HK dollars was recorded, smaller than that of 166.8 billion HK dollars in 2005.

At the end of December last year, Hong Kong's gross external debt amounted to 3.989 trillion HK dollars, equivalent to 271 percent of gross domestic product.

In last year's fourth quarter, there were 12.1 billion HK dollars surplus in its balance of payments account, said the department. (One U.S. dollar equals 7.8035 HK dollars)

Source: Xinhua