Trade between the Chinese mainland and the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR) reached $2.92 billion in 2007, a 19.8-percent rise year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM).

The Chinese mainland's exports to Macao totaled $2.64 billion, up 21 percent, while its imports from Macao rose 9.7 percent to reach $280 million, the ministry said.

The Chinese mainland has attracted direct investment from the MSAR in 856 projects last year, down 1.4 percent, and the actual use of Macao direct investment reached $640 million, down 6 percent.

By the end of December 2007, direct investment of the MSAR in the Chinese mainland totaled $7.65 billion in 11,553 projects since figures first began in 1978 with the opening up of trade between the Chinese mainland and Macao.

The actual use of the MSAR's direct investment in the Chinese mainland accounted for 1 percent of all actually used direct investment from outside the Chinese mainland.