There is little probability that the trade surplus this year will exceed the 2005 level.

By contrast, China's domestic market was oversupplied generally, compelling traders to turn to international markets and thus boosting export.

Though domestic demand waned and imports slackened in the first half, due largely to macro-economic controls, it is totally wrong to consider the Chinese Government influenced foreign trade with administrative instruments.

Currently, import is totally businesses' activity. There has been almost no room for the Government to intervene by administrative means after China entered the World Trade Organization . Along with a recovery in investment at home, China's trade surplus in 2006 will probably be lower than the estimated 90 billion US dollars for the current year.

So trade unions in Beijing should take the benchmark rate as weapons.

Without this trade barrier, China's information technology industry would have grown much faster.