According to Guangzhou Customs, drug import by Guangdong province was US$260 million in the first four months of 2008, up 29.4% compared with the same period last year.

Among the total imported by Guangdong in the period, drug import by local private companies was US$120 million, up 20.5%, that by foreign companies was US$54 million up 20.2%, and that by state-owned companies was US$86 million, up 48.7%. 

During the same period, drug import by Guangdong from Hong Kong was US$83 million, up 25%; that from EU was US$71 million, up 25.8%, that from the United States was US$37 million, up 71.3% and that from Japan was US$23 million, down by 13.9%.

Experts at the Guangdong Customs believe the drug import volume and prices will continue to rise steadily in the near future, given the rising drug demands domestically and growing costs of raw materials to produce APIs and finished products by foreign manufacturers.