The value of Hong Kong's total exports to the Mainland in this year's first quarter for outward processing surged 10% over a year earlier to $78.7 billion, the Census & Statistics Department says.

While the value of domestic exports to the Mainland for outward processing fell 7% to $4.3 billion, the value of re-exports to the Mainland for outward processing rose 11% to $74.4 billion.

Over the same period of comparison, the value of imports from the Mainland related to outward processing went up 13% to $147.7 billion. About $166.7 billion of Hong Kong's re-exports of Mainland origin to other places were produced through outward processing in the Mainland, representing an increase of 12%.

The quarter also saw 38% of Hong Kong's total exports go to the Mainland for outward processing. The proportion was 54% for domestic exports and 37% for re-exports.

About 67% of Hong Kong's imports from the Mainland were related to outward processing, while 80% of Hong Kong's re-exports of Mainland origin to other places were produced through outward processing in the Mainland.

The corresponding proportions for exports to the Mainland in last year's first quarter were 38% for total exports, 64% for domestic exports and 37% for re-exports. Proportions for imports from the Mainland and for re-exports of Mainland origin to other places were 68% and 80%.