Egypt's trade with key East Asian countries – namely Malaysia, China, India, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Thailand, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Bangladesh – reached $28 billion in 2024, driven largely by rising imports, official data showed Thursday. According to the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS), exports to East Asia fell sharply to $1.7 billion, down 53 per cent from $3.7 billion in 2023. India and China were the top export destinations, with exports to India declining to $600 million and to China dropping to $400 million. Major export products included salt, sulfur, ores, cement, and edible fruits. Imports, meanwhile, rose 12.5 per cent to $26.2 billion, led by China at $15.7 billion and India at $3.23 billion. Key imports included electrical machinery, appliances, transport equipment, and meat products. Machinery and transport equipment were the fastest-growing import categories, rising 20 per cent from the previous year. CAPMAS highlighted that animal and plant products, beverages, and tobacco remained the largest export category to East Asia despite a 22 per cent decline from 2023. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
