Major Export Destinations

THE AMERICAS

Canada: Canada remained California’s third largest export market with exports increasing 18% in the fourth quarter and 13.8% for all of 2000, to total nearly $15.1 billion.   In the first seven years of NAFTA, California exports to Canada increased 98% or $7.4 billion. California exports to Canada directly and indirectly support approximately 180,000 jobs in California, with 89,000 of those resulting from export growth under NAFTA.

Mexico: Mexico is California’s number one trading partner for the second year in a row, buying more than $19 billion in California goods, a 27.6% rise over 1999. This set a record for California exports to a single country, topping the $18.9 billion California sold to Japan in 1996.  Mexico’s strong and balanced expansion follows on 12% and 23% growth in the past two years respectively.  In the first seven years of NAFTA, California exports to Mexico increased nearly 192% or $12.5 billion. Today, California exports to Mexico directly and indirectly support approximately 228,000 jobs in California, with more than 150,000 of these jobs resulting from export growth under NAFTA.

South America:  California exports to the MERCOSUR economies (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay) and its associate members (Chile and Bolivia) remained relatively unchanged in 2000, declining 0.3% to total $2.2 billion.  California exports to Brazil increased 3%, while exports to Argentina (down 9%) and Chile (3%) declined in 2000.  Although exports to the

Southern Cone economies account for less than 2% of total California exports, they continue to offer a tremendous opportunity for future export growth for California firms.

ASIA/PACIFIC

California exports to the Asian 10 (Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia) increased 27% in 2000 to total $55.2 billion, accounting for 42.6% of total California exports. This follows on 6% growth for all of 1999.

ASIAN:  The Association of South East Asian Nations markets purchased $13.2 billion in California exports in 2000, up $2.9 billion or 28% for the year.  Exports to Singapore (up 8%), Malaysia (up 42%), Thailand (up 62%), the Philippines (up 28%) and Indonesia (up 60%) all showed significant growth in 2000.

China:  California exports to China (including Hong Kong) increased 26% to total $8.3 billion in 2000, making it California’s fifth largest export market.  California exports to Hong Kong were up 13% to $4.5 billion, while exports to mainland China were up 44% totaling $3.8 billion. Independently, Hong Kong and mainland China currently rank as our tenth and eleventh largest export markets respectively. 

Passage of PNTR (Permanent Normal Trade Relations) for China and China’s admission to the World Trade Organization (WTO) hold enormous opportunities for California exporters and could lead to significant growth in trade to this region over the next several years.

Japan:  After three consecutive years of decline, California exports to Japan recovered strongly in 2000.  Exports to Japan grew 34% in the fourth quarter and 25.6% for all of 2000 to total $17.3 billion.

Taiwan: California exports to Taiwan grew 24% in 2000 to total $8 billion, making the island California’s sixth largest market just behind China.

EUROPEAN UNION

Europe’s mature markets are an important part of California’s diversified export portfolio. California exports to the EU increased 18.9% in 2000 to total $27.2 billion, accounting for 21% of total California manufactured exports.  All ten European markets that rank among California’s top 25 export destinations experienced strong growth in 2000.