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## Overview Hong Kong's exports rose 35.8 per cent year-on-year in March, the sharpest rate of growth in more than five years, driven by what authorities described as "strong global demand" for AI-related electronic products (SCMP). This outpaced the prior month's growth despite ongoing global trade disruptions. ## Key Data According to the Census and Statistics Department, the total value of exports of goods rose to HK$618.4 billion (US$78.9 billion) in March, compared to the same month in 2025 (SCMP). Imports rose by 41.2 per cent over the same period (SCMP). ## Why It Matters Hong Kong's export performance serves as a bellwether for broader Asia-Pacific trade dynamics tied to the global AI investment boom, particularly demand for semiconductors, electronics, and related components flowing through Hong Kong's re-export trade hub role. The scale of the surge — the sharpest in over five years — highlights how AI-driven demand is offsetting other trade headwinds, including tariff disruptions and the Iran war's economic spillovers. ## What to Watch - Whether the AI-driven export surge is sustained in coming months - Composition shifts in Hong Kong's export basket toward AI/electronics - Impact of ongoing US-China trade tensions and tariffs on the trend - Correlation with Hong Kong's broader AI hub strategy and data center investments