Export volume rises 25.8% in May as Taiwan, Vietnam shipments jump

India was the only major market to post a decline, with shipments down 24.5%. 

Hong Kong’s export volume rose 25.8% year-on-year (YoY) in May 2026, whilst import volume increased 27.4%, according to the Census and Statistics Department.

The growth accelerated across the first five months of the year, with export volume up 27.6% and import volume rising 31% from the same period in 2025.

Taiwan led Hong Kong’s major export destinations in May, with shipment volume rising 70.7% YoY. Vietnam followed with a 48.9% increase, whilst exports to the US and mainland China rose 40.4% and 31.2%, respectively.

India was the only major destination to record a decline, with export volume falling 24.5%.

Export prices rose across all five major destinations, led by mainland China at 13.2%, followed by Vietnam at 11.9% and the US at 11.2%. Taiwan and India each recorded a 10% increase.

Import volumes also increased across all five major suppliers. Imports from Korea surged 67.2% year-on-year, followed by Vietnam at 57.4% and mainland China at 35%. Imports from Singapore and Taiwan rose 14.8% and 3.1%, respectively.

Import prices rose across all five suppliers, led by Korea at 24.3% and Taiwan at 16.5%. Prices for imports from mainland China, Singapore, and Vietnam increased 11.7%, 9.7% and 8.6%, respectively.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, total export and import volumes increased 10.8% and 11%, respectively, in the three months ending May compared with the preceding three months.

Trade prices also rose in May. Total export prices increased 11.8% YoY, whilst import prices rose 11.1%. For the first five months of 2026, export and import prices increased 6.7% and 6.5%, respectively.

The terms of trade index, which measures the ratio of export prices to import prices, rose 0.6% YoY in May and 0.2% in the first five months of 2026.