Japan becomes Beijing's top export market

BEIJING - Japan became Beijing's largest export market, passing the US in the first quarter of 2011, said the head of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Commerce on Monday.

In the first quarter of 2011, total export-import volume between Beijing and Japan reached $5.19 billion, with exports accounting for $1.06 billion, according to the commission.

Major exports from Beijing to Japan include mobile phones, coal, PC software and computer processors. The biggest imports from Japan to Beijing are cars, flat-panel LCB displays, digital cameras and integrated circuits (ICs).

Japan's recent earthquake and tsunami do not appear to have significantly affected imports from Japan to Beijing, according to an analysis by the commission. It is estimated that exports from Beijing to Japan will continue to increase, according to the analysis.