INTERNATIONAL trade between Shenzhen and Africa reached 52.61 billion yuan (US$8.25 billion) between January and October, up by 18.8 percent year on year, data from Shenzhen Customs showed.

Trade with South Africa, Shenzhen’s largest trading partner in the continent, was 19.6 billion yuan, up 37.7 percent, accounting for 37.3 percent of the city’s total African trade.

Trade with Egypt, Nigeria, Morocco and Guinea also increased by 3.2 percent, 47 percent and 19.4 percent, respectively. And trade with Guinea was 4.7 times that of the same time last year. Trade with the four countries accounted for 27.3 percent of the total African trade.

High-tech company Shenzhen Topray Solar Technology shipped their solar panels to Africa. “Solar panel products including the chips and solar panel windows are popular in Uganda, South Africa and Kenya, contributing to environmental protection and energy consumption,” company manager surnamed Guo said.

Another company, Shenzhen China Electronics Investment Enterprise Corp., one of the country’s top 10 electronic product exporters of stereos, panel computers and smart wristbands, saw their African trade reach 18 billion yuan in the first 10 months of the year, up by 40 percent year on year.

Consumer product exports exceeded 380 million yuan. Between January and October, general trade between Shenzhen and Africa was 42.9 billion yuan, up by 24.4 percent year on year, accounting for 80 percent of the total African trade.

Shenzhen’s electrical and mechanical product exports reached 27.6 billion yuan in the first 10 months of the year, up 9.3 percent and accounting for 52.5 percent of the total trade.

(Han Ximin)