According to the China Association for Illumination Appliances, export of the main products of incandescent lamps dropped 13.6 percent compared with the figure of the same time last year.

However, the country has maintained its strength in exporting fluorescent lamps and halide lamps thanks to strong international demand, the competitiveness of the products, and the saturation of the domestic market, analysts say.

In 2000, the total amount of lights exported came to 3.2 billion US dollars, 23 percent more than the previous year.

Analysts attributed the export slowdown to the September 11 terrorist attack in the United States, the largest export market of China. However, they pointed out that China's foreign trade was least influenced by the turbulent world economic situation, especially compared with surrounding countries and regions.

China took a series of macrocontrol measures early this year to boost foreign trade. And overseas merchants were confident in China's foreign trade because of the country's stable economic and political situation.

(Xinhua News Agency November 11, 2001)