Tasmania has supercharged its exports to China despite tariff worries and Australia's diplomatic tensions with the Asian giant.
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The state exported $1.461 billion worth of merchandise to China at a monthly average of $121.75 million in the year to August, the Australian Bureau of Statistics estimated.
That was well ahead of $1.197 billion worth of goods and a monthly average of $99.75 million in the previous year.
China, excluding Hong Kong, remained easily Tasmania's biggest overseas customer in August, taking $98 million worth of goods.
Australian-Chinese relations have grown more tense in recent months, particularly after Australia pushed for an international inquiry into the origins of coronavirus.
China has taken trade actions against Australian wine, beef and barley.
Other major Tasmanian export destinations in August included Indonesia ($15 million), Japan ($17 million), South Korea ($18 million), Malaysia ($19 million), New Zealand ($16 million), Taiwan ($16 million), Thailand ($13 million) and the US ($22 million).
Total August merchandise exports were valued at $282 million, an increase of $30 million compared with July.
The total was not outstanding compared to recent months, but within the recent "normal" range.
Tasmania imported just $60 million worth of goods from overseas in August.
That was down by $51 million compared to the July total and the lowest total since March 2018.
The monthly figures can be volatile, but the August total might also have reflected caution by consumers and/or business during the ongoing economic crisis.
Tasmania's biggest overseas import sources in August were China ($12 million) and South Korea ($10 million).
As with the export figures, the import figures showed Tasmania's close links with the Asia-Pacific region.
APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) nations provided $46 million worth of the $60 million of imports from overseas.
The European Union provided $7 million worth.
Nationally, the value of goods and services exports fell by 4 per cent to $32.64 billion in August.
The value of imported goods and services increased by 2 per cent to $30 billion.
Rural goods exports rose in value by 12 per cent, while exports of non-rural goods gained 3 per cent.
Services exports dropped in value by 3 per cent, while the value of exports of non-monetary gold plunged by 62 per cent.
Sean Ford
The Advocate Newspaper, Tasmania. Business, economics, politics, crime.
The Advocate Newspaper, Tasmania. Business, economics, politics, crime.
