China continues to be Zambia's major export market in Asia

China has continued to be a dominant export market for Zambian products within the Asian region, statistics released by Zambia's Central Statistical Office (CSO) on Thursday have shown. According to the statistics, the Asian regional grouping was Zambia's largest market for total exports, accounting for 29.8 percent in August 2013, with China accounting for 66.6 percent of those exports. Other notable export markets for Zambia within the Asian region were the United Arab Emirates, India, Singapore and Japan, CSO director John Kalumbi told journalists during a press briefing. Zambia's major export products in August were from the intermediate goods category and comprised mainly of copper cathodes and refined copper which accounted for 82.6 percent of exports while other exports were from the consumer goods, raw materials and capital goods which collectively accounted for 17.4 percent. Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was a dominant market for Zambia's exports within the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) regional bloc, according to statistics. The 14-member SADC regional bloc, which emerged as the second largest market for Zambia's exports after the Asian region, accounted for 28.6 percent of total exports during the month, with the DRC accounting for 38.3 percent while other notable markets within the region were South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mauritius.