Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that total merchandise export amounted to MOP1.42 billion in January 2021, up by 29.0% year-on-year. Value of re-exports (MOP1.26 billion) expanded by 32.4%, with that of Diamond & diamond jewellery and Electronic components soaring by 206.6% and 202.5% respectively. Value of domestic exports (MOP169 million) went up by 8.7%, with that of Copper & articles thereof rising by 26.4% while that of Tobacco falling by 60.6%. Total merchandise import grew by 28.5% year-on-year to MOP10.69 billion, of which imports of Mobile phones, Handbags & wallets and Watches surged by 205.1%, 65.9% and 45.2% respectively, but those of Perfumes, Articles for casino and Fuels & lubricants declined by 53.7%, 43.5% and 31.5% respectively. Merchandise trade deficit in January 2021 totalled MOP9.27 billion.

Analysed by destination, merchandise export to mainland China rose by 59.1% year-on-year to MOP151 million in January 2021, of which exports to the Nine Provinces of the Pan Pearl River Delta (MOP135 million) increased by 59.9%. Exports to Hong Kong (MOP1.09 billion) and the USA (MOP52 million) grew by 57.1% and 3.9% respectively year-on-year, whereas exports to the EU (MOP17 million) slid by 2.3%. Exports to the Belt and Road Countries (MOP49 million) and the Portuguese-speaking Countries (MOP160 thousand) swelled by 72.6% and 451.5% respectively. Exports of Textiles & garments fell by 10.5% year-on-year to MOP114 million, while exports of Non-textiles went up by 34.2% to MOP1.31 billion.

By place of origin, merchandise import from mainland China (MOP3.95 billion) and the EU (MOP3.39 billion) in January 2021 increased by 46.0% and 28.8% respectively year-on-year. Imports from the Belt and Road Countries (MOP2.06 billion) rose by 13.0%, while imports from the Portuguese-speaking Countries (MOP62 million) reduced by 9.5%. Analysed by place of consignment, merchandise import from Hong Kong (MOP8.75 billion) showed a year-on-year growth of 29.5%. Meanwhile, imports from mainland China expanded by 33.6% to MOP1.52 billion, of which imports from the Nine Provinces of the Pan Pearl River Delta (MOP1.48 billion) grew by 32.8%. Imports of Consumer goods went up by 25.0% to MOP7.68 billion, with imports of Garments & footwear (MOP1.28 billion), Handbags & wallets (MOP910 million) and Watches (MOP856 million) increasing by 41.6%, 65.9% and 45.2% respectively. Imports of Mobile phones (MOP1.36 billion) and Construction materials (MOP252 million) surged by 205.1% and 68.3% respectively, whereas imports of Fuels & lubricants (MOP388 million) declined by 31.5%.

External merchandise trade totalled MOP12.12 billion in January 2021, up by 28.5% compared with MOP9.43 billion a year earlier.