The 10 steps were unveiled, although exports from both sectors, which grew rapidly between January and April, were not badly affected by the SARS outbreak, presenting a potential challenge later in the year.

Ministry officials said that together with intermediary organizations, its local branches and other departments, they are also researching measures to help exporters in the textile, food and toy industries, which experts expect have been more affected by the epidemic.

Exports of machinery and electronics products increased by 40.9 percent to US$61.62 billion and imports of these items rose by 50.2 percent to US$64.12 billion between January and April.

These sectors accounted for 51.5 percent of China's total foreign trade in the first four months of this year.

In April alone, exports increased by 40.6 percent to US$18.14 billion and imports rose 38.6 percent to US$18.34 billion from last April, according to customs statistics.

The data indicates China's exports of machinery and electronic products have been unaffected by the SARS outbreak in mid-April, said ministry officials.

But the negative effects of SARS may appear in the latter half of the year because companies are currently carrying out contracts signed last year or at the beginning of this year.

The ministry worked out 10 measures to reduce the potentially negative effects on exports of machinery and electronic products. It asked local trade offices to keep a close watch on local exporters of machinery and electronic products to see what difficulties they have and how the government could help.

Local trade offices should continue to support exporters of machinery and electronic products through tailoring encouraging policies and conducting frequent exchanges of information with the business sections of Chinese embassies around the world, it said.

The ministry urged its local branches to conduct market research on machinery and electronic companies' production, sales, exports, marketing, certification and research and development and keep these firms on file.

Local trade offices should provide guidance to machinery and electronic companies' technical upgrading and capital input in research and development.

It also suggested that local offices should promote the export of large-scale and entire sets of equipment in shipping and railways through enhanced communication with related authorities and departments.

(China Daily May 28, 2003)