The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Hong Kong’s import purchases during 2019. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Hong Kong.

1. Electrical machinery, equipment: US$307.7 billion (53.2% of total imports)
2. Machinery including computers: $66.4 billion (11.5%)
3. Gems, precious metals: $54.3 billion (9.4%)
4. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $17.7 billion (3.1%)
5. Mineral fuels including oil: $14.4 billion (2.5%)
6. Plastics, plastic articles: $8.3 billion (1.4%)
7. Clocks, watches including parts: $8 billion (1.4%)
8. Perfumes, cosmetics: $6.4 billion (1.1%)
9. Meat: $5.4 billion (0.9%)
10. Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: $5.3 billion (0.9%)

Hong Kong’s top 10 imports accounted for well over four-fifths (85.3%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other trade partners.

Optical, technical and medical apparatus represents the only import category to show increasing purchases by Hong Kong from 2018 to 2019, albeit due to its tiny 0.7% gain.

Leading the decliners year over year were Hong Kong’s imported gems and precious metals (down -17%), meat (down -16%) then plastics and items made from plastic (down -15%).

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented under other virtual folder tabs is at the more granular 4-digit level.

In 2019, Hong Kong importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronic equipment including consumer electronics.

1. Integrated circuits/microassemblies: US$151.3 billion (down -3.3% from 2018)
2. Phone system devices including smartphones: $71.8 billion (down -6.9%)
3. Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $14.8 billion (down -5.9%)
4. Printed circuits: $9 billion (down -9.8%)
5. Electrical converters/power units: $8.1 billion (down -9.4%)
6. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $7.3 billion (down -8.7%)
7. TV/radio/radar device parts: $6.7 billion (down -9.4%)
8. Unrecorded sound media: $4.9 billion (down -31.3%)
9. Electrical capacitators: $4.8 billion (down -27.5%)
10. Microphones/headphones/amps: $4 billion (down -6.6%)

Not one among these import subcategories posted increased purchases from Hong Kong from 2018 to 2019. Leading the decliners year over year were unrecorded sound media (down -31.3%), electrical capacitators (down -27.5%) and printed circuits (down -9.8%).

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among Hong Kong businesses and consumers.

In 2019, Hong Kong importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.

1. Computer parts, accessories: US$20.6 billion (down -15.2% from 2018)
2. Computers, optical readers: $20.1 billion (down -18.8%)
3. Turbo-jets: $9.8 billion (up 40.4%)
4. Printing machinery: $4.3 billion (down -10.8%)
5. Miscellaneous machinery: $1.6 billion (down -6.4%)
6. Machinery for making semi-conductors: $1.1 billion (down -22.9%)
7. Air conditioners: $915.2 million (down -0.2%)
8. Air or vacuum pumps: $682.3 million (down -12.5%)
9. Machinery parts: $561.9 million (up 36.3%)
10. Ball, roller bearings: $467.2 million (down -2.9%)

Among these import subcategories, Hong Kong’s purchases of turbo-jets (up 40.4%) and machinery parts (up 36.3%) grew from 2018 to 2019.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Hong Kong businesses and consumers.

In 2019, Hong Kong importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of precious metals and gems.

1. Diamonds (unmounted/unset): US$17.7 billion (down -15.1% from 2018)
2. Gold (unwrought): $14 billion (down -40.9%)
3. Jewelry: $13.6 billion (up 4%)
4. Platinum (unwrought): $4.4 billion (up 36.6%)
5. Precious/semi-precious stones (unstrung): $1.3 billion (down -5.9%)
6. Silver (unwrought): $1 billion (up 13.8%)
7. Precious metal waste, scrap: $858.2 million (up 6.5%)
8. Synthetic precious stones: $526.4 million (down -3.9%)
9. Imitation jewelry: $390.1 million (down -0.4%)
10. Pearls: $221 million (down -13.9%)

Among these import subcategories, Hong Kong’s purchases of raw platinum (up 36.6%), raw silver (up 13.8%) then precious metal waste or scrap (up 6.5%) grew at the fastest pace from 2018 to 2019.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported precious metals and gems among Hong Kong businesses and consumers.

In 2019, Hong Kong importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of optical, medical and technical equipment.

1. Liquid crystal/laser/optical tools: US$4.1 billion (up 4.8% from 2018)
2. Optical fiber cables, sheets, plates: $1.7 billion (up 1.2%)
3. Electro-medical equipment (e.g. xrays): $1.6 billion (up 7.6%)
4. Physical/chemical analysis tools: $1.6 billion (down -2%)
5. Lenses, prisms, mirrors: $1.4 billion (up 37%)
6. Other measuring/testing machines: $1.1 billion (down -14.1%)
7. Spectacles, goggles: $986.8 million (down -3.7%)
8. Spectacle/goggle frames, mountings: $875.6 million (down -1.4%)
9. Oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers: $834.4 million (down -16.5%)
10. Regulate/control instruments: $722.7 million (down -7.9%)

Among these import subcategories, Hong Kong’s purchases of lenses, prisms and mirrors (up 37%), electro-medical equipment including xrays (up 7.6%) then liquid crystal, laser and optical tools (up 4.8%) grew at the fastest pace from 2018 to 2019.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported optical, medical and technical equipment among Hong Kong businesses and consumers.