Hong Kong's Trade with the Netherlands

Hong Kong’s total exports to the Netherlands dropped 4.1% in 2011 to US$ 5.42 billion compared to 2010.  Major export items in 2011 included telecommunications equipment & parts (39% of the total), articles of apparel, of textile fabrics (7%), parts & accessories of office machines/computers (5%), computers (4.3%), electrical machinery & apparatus (2.7%) and toys, games & sporting goods (2.6%).

On the other hand, Hong Kong’s imports from the Netherlands grew by 25.1% to US$2,782 million in 2011 January, after increasing by 11.9% to US$2.223 billion in 2010. Major import items during 2011 included telecommunications equipment & parts (12.3% of the total), milk and cream and milk products other than butter or cheese (12.2%), fresh, chilled or frozen meat & edible meat offal (6.8%), and printing & bookbinding machinery & parts (5.9%).

The Netherlands is a major source of European investment in Hong Kong.

Apart from bilateral trade, the Netherlands also has a notable presence in finance, trading, transportation, wholesaling/retailing, and other sectors of the Hong Kong economy. Currently, there are more than 220 Dutch firms in Hong Kong. They include ABN AMRO, ING and Rabobank (finance), KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and P&O Nedlloyd (transportation), Philips (electronics), Shell (petroleum), Heineken (beer distribution), Maxeda and Mexx (fashion retailing). 

Reflecting the Netherlands’ widespread interests locally, there were about 6,000 Dutch nationals resided in Hong Kong as at the end of 2011.