http://www.manufacturing.net/News/2011/02/Electrical-Electronics-UN--Asian-Tech-Exports-Outpace-U-S-/?et_cid=1061619&et_rid=54679148&linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.manufacturing.net%2fNews%2f2011%2f02%2fElectrical-Electronics-UN--Asian-Tech-Exports-Outpace-U-S-%2fAsia is now exporting two-thirds of the world's mobile phones, personal computers, digital televisions and other high-tech goods for information and communications, in a significant shift in world trade accentuated by the global financial crisis, the U.N. reported Wednesday.
The new U.N. data shows that China and Hong Kong exported $498 billion in such goods in 2009, more than four times the United States share of $113 billion. Also included in such trade were cameras, iPads, CD and DVD players and other consumer electronics.
Global exports of information and communication technology, known as ICT -- key to developing economies -- represented 12 percent of world merchandise traded last year, up about 1 percent from a year earlier, according to the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development figures.
"The striking thing is that Asia really has emerged as a very dominant player," said Torbjorn Fredriksson, who heads the ICT analysis section at the U.N. trade organization known as UNCTAD. "And you can also see that within just one year, their share increased by 2.5 percent, which is quite a large share globally, and we link (that) to the financial crisis."