Hong Kong Has Widest Trade Deficit Since 1952 in Echo of War, AI
Imports reached HK$707.5 billion in March, roughly equivalent to a fifth of Hong Kong’s entire GDP.
Photographer: Leung Man Hei/BloombergHong Kong ran its widest trade deficit in at least 74 years as imports surged, a likely spillover from the disruptions caused by the war in the Middle East and a global investment boom in artificial intelligence that’s driving demand for tech products.
Government data this week showed a surge in exports and purchases from abroad in March, with imports up more than 41% from the same period in 2025 — their biggest increase in over three decades. That left a deficit of HK$89.1 billion (US$11.4 billion), the highest in records dating back to 1952, when Hong Kong was a British colony.