Widening gap between China, HK trade figures raises fake trade concerns

Hong Kong

THE gap between China's and Hong Kong's official trade figures widened sharply in December, raising concerns that market players might be using trade to move funds across borders at a time when Beijing is trying to curb capital outflows.

China's Customs data showed that the mainland's imports from Hong Kong surged 64 per cent year-on-year last month, while Hong Kong's statistics indicated that the city's exports to the mainland rose just 0.9 per cent from a year earlier.