China overtakes US in tech exports

China has overtaken the US as the world's largest exporter of a broad category of electronic goods including computers, mobile phones and digital cameras, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development has announced. Chinese exports of information and communications technology goods rose by 46% year-on-year to $180 billion in 2004, outstripping US exports of $149 billion, 12% higher than the previous year. Having only become a net exporter of such goods in 2002, China's positive trade balance in tech products almost tripled to $31 billion last year from $12 billion in 2003.