THE Government is predicting another bumper year for traders, with a forecast of US$280 billion (about HK$2.18 trillion) in trade this year.
This compares with HK$1.39 trillion for the first 11 months of last year and $1.54 trillion for 1991.
Delivering his forecast yesterday, Director-General of Trade Donald Tsang Yam-kuen said he anticipated a year as busy and as promising as last year.
He said: ''Looking at investments in China and the export potential of China, while I'm not able to forecast unexpected events, given that growth potential I do believe US$280 billion is not unachievable.
''In the short term I do not believe trade will decline. The fact is that investment in the Pearl River delta region and China generally continues to grow and exports from China through Hongkong continue to grow.
''I think 1993 will carry on the momentum generated in 1991-92 and will continue on a growth pattern, although it might not be as spectacular as 1992 when growth exceeded 30 per cent.'' Longer-term prospects, he said, were dependent on the economic pick-up in major markets abroad and the political situation at home.
