The value of Chinese exports to East Timor increased by 3 percent year-on-year in 2014, according to the latest report from East Timor’s central bank. China climbed two spots to become East Timor’s third largest provider of imports last year, selling it goods worth US$41 million.

Chinese products accounted for 7.4 percent of all imports to East Timor in 2014, up from 6.0 percent in the previous year. In 2014,

Indonesia remained the top exporter to East Timor, with the value of exports reaching US$159 million, followed by Singapore, with US$125 million in exports to East Timor.

East Timor’s main imported products were fuels, followed by vehicles and electrical machinery. Energy products represented 15.8 percent of total imports in 2014, showed the report.

East Timor posted a trade deficit of US$893 million in 2014, up by almost 13 percent from a year earlier, according to official data.

Exports rose by 16 percent year-on-year to US$91.9 million, while imports amounted to US$985 million, up by 17 percent in year-on-year terms.

“The trade account continues to register a huge deficit position, given the low level of national exports and huge need to import merchandise to supply national aggregate demand,” said the central bank.