Chongqing laptop output rises six-fold in Q1

CHONGQING - The number of laptops produced in southwest China's Chongqing in the first quarter of this year exceeded 11 million, up more than six times year-on-year, local authorities said Thursday.

Chongqing assembled 11.006 million laptops valued at 25.54 billion yuan ($4.05 billion) between the start of January and the end of March, 617 percent more than that in the same period of last year, according to figures released by the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization.

The majority of the devices were exported, with an export value at 22.18 billion yuan, up 7.8 times from a year ago.

It is estimated that laptop output from the municipality in the second quarter will reach 13 million units, bringing the number produced in the first half of 2012 to 24 million, thanks to a projected surge in orders, according to the commission.

Chongqing is building itself into a major center for laptop assembly, with its output of the computers estimated to account for 14 percent of the world's total.

Chongqing will soon open a new international air cargo route to link the metropolis with the United States and Australia and facilitate delivery of its IT products to the North American and Australian markets.