China's Technology Import in 2006 Hit a New High, EU Became the Biggest Import Source

According to statistics from the Ministry of Commerce, China totally registered 10538 contracts of technology import in 2006 with a value of US$22.02 billion, up by 15.6% on a year-on-year basis, of which US$14.76 billion were technology fees, accounting for 67% of total value. China's technology import hit a new high after 2005.

In 2006, transaction value of know-how licensing contracts reached US$7.28 billion, up by 42.8% on a year-on-year basis and accounting for 33% of total contact value. Value of cooperation and joint venture contracts with content of technical consultancy and service, and technology import amounted to US$5.18 billion and US$4.29 billion respectively, accounting for 23.5% and 19.5% respectively of total value of technology import and ranking No. 2 and 3.

EU was the biggest import source of China's technology import, total 2597 contracts of technology import were signed between the two parties with a value of US$8.66 billion, accounting for 39.3% of total value of China's technology import. Japan and USA was the second and third biggest one and the import value from which were US$5.24 billion and US$4.23 billion respectively, accounting for 23.8% and 19.2% respectively of total value of China's technology import.

Value of technology import by foreign investment enterprises hit US$11.3 billion, up by 36.7% and accounting for 51.3% of total technology import of the nation. On the other hand, the value of technology import by state-owned enterprises was US$8.99 billion with a tiny decrease, accounting for 40.8% of total national technology import.

Major fields of technology import were electronic and telecommunication equipments manufacture, railway transportation and manufacture of transport equipment. In 2006, technology import in electronic and telecommunication equipments manufacture maintained a high-speed increase and total 1559 contracts were signed, valuing at US$4.15 billion, up by 97.3% and accounting for 18.9% of total value of technology import in China. Value of technology import in railway transportation was US$3.98 billion and in manufacture of transport equipment US$2.51 billion, up by 37.6% and 40.6% respectively and accounting for 18.1% and 11.4% respectively of total value of technology import.

From:MOFCOM