[kabar]

They're actually in 4th place now, having just leapfrogged Britain & France. In fact they're closing fast on Japan. What you say was true 5 years ago.

I am using the Economist's "World in Figiures" pocket edition 2003. The figures include visible and invisible amounts. For "visible" traders, China is 9th. In compiling the data, the Economist was using the latest data available as of December 31, 2000. What is China's percentage of world trade now and what is our's according to your information?

[Filibuster_60]

Things change quickly. China's $800 billion trade this year compares to just $500 billion in 2000. No other country's commercial activity is increasing at such a pace. Exports will exceed $400 billion this year, which isn't far behind Japan. China's imports are growing even faster than exports and on this basis it's probable they'll leapfrog Japan rather soon, maybe within just 5 years. Only US & Germany will be higher on the list.