Last year, China exported hi-tech products worth US$110 billion, accounting for 25 percent of the overall exports for 2003, said Chinese Vice-Premier Wu Yi Beijing Tuesday.

During a meeting on the policy of "enhancing trade by relying on science and technology," Wu said that in 1998, the year the policy was introduced, hi-tech products only accounted for 11 percent of the overall exports.

According to statistics issued by the General Administration of Customs, China exported 67.8 billion US dollars-worth of hi-tech products in 2002, up 40.6 percent year-on-year and accounting for 20.3 percent of the overall exports. Hi-tech products have thus become the country's second-most-valuable export sector.

Wu said that since 1998 China has imported technology worth US$75.2 billion, accounting for 42 percent of the overall imported technology since 1978, when the country adopted the policies of opening-up and reform.

The policy of "enhancing trade by relying on science and technology" has led to a rapid growth of exports, and increased the competitive power of Chinese products, said Wu. So China will continue this policy, and combine technology import with self-innovation and hi-tech export with upgrading traditional industries, she said.

The policy of "enhancing trade by relying on science and technology" is being jointly pursued by eight government departments -- the Ministry of Commerce, State Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of the Information Industry, General Administration of Customs, State Administration of Taxation, and State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

(Xinhua News Agency January 7, 2004)