The external merchandise trade statistics released by the Census and Statistics Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government on the 25th showed that the overall export value of Hong Kong in August increased by 14.5% year-on-year, rising for 18 consecutive months, and the growth rate accelerated by 0.2 percentage points compared to July. Statistics show that the overall import value of Hong Kong in August increased by 11.5% year-on-year, marking an 8-month consecutive increase. In August, a tangible trade deficit of HKD 25.4 billion was recorded. In the first eight months of this year, the value of Hong Kong's exports and imports both increased by 13% year-on-year, resulting in a visible trade deficit of HKD 243.3 billion. A spokesperson for the SAR government stated that the value of Hong Kong's commodity exports in August further increased year-on-year, with exports to the mainland and most other Asian markets continuing to grow steadily, and exports to the United States and the European Union increasing. Meanwhile, exports of most major commodities have also shown an increase, with continued strong performance in electric equipment, machinery, and mechanical tools. The spokesperson said that the sustained economic growth in Asia, especially in mainland China, and the increasingly close economic and trade ties between Hong Kong and different markets will continue to support the performance of Hong Kong's commodity trade. However, US trade policies will continue to affect the short-term prospects of international trade flows, and the SAR government will remain vigilant. (New Society)