In the third quarter, $85.3 billion worth of Hong Kong's total exports to the Mainland were for outward processing, up 10% over the third quarter last year.

The Census & Statistics Department said the value of imports from the Mainland related to outward processing rose 3% to $158.2 billion over the same period.

A total of $161.4 billion of re-exports of Mainland origin to other places were produced through outward processing on the Mainland, a fall of 2%.

From January to September, 43% of exports to the Mainland were for outward processing. The figure was 68% for domestic exports and 42% for re-exports.

Over the same period, $234.1 billion in total exports to the Mainland were for outward processing, representing a significant increase of 15% over the same period of 2002.

The value of domestic exports to the Mainland for outward processing fell significantly by 15% to $18.7 billion whereas that of re-exports to the Mainland for outward processing increased by 18% to $215.4 billion.