Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's total goods exports rose 9.2 percent in 2007 compared with 2006, the Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong said Thursday.

Within the total, re-exports grew 10.8 percent but domestic exports fell 18.9 percent while goods imports rose 10.3 percent, said the department, adding that last year saw a visible trade deficit of HK$180.5 billion ($23 billion), equivalent to 6.3 percent of goods imports.

Year-on-year increases were registered in total exports to most major destinations last year, particularly the Chinese mainland, the Netherlands, Germany and France. Imports from most major suppliers also rose, particularly Singapore, the Philippines, the US and the Chinese mainland.

The department said that despite heightened uncertainty in the trading environment, merchandise exports rose further in December with the Chinese mainland and the EU markets continuing to hold up well, while the US market was still soft.

While the trade outlook for the coming quarters is subject to a large degree of uncertainty amid global prospects being overshadowed by the ongoing financial market turmoil and the US economic weakness, the robust growth for many emerging markets like the Chinese mainland should support Hong Kong's export performance, said the department.