Top Malaysian Imports & Exports

Corn & Soybeans Among Fastest-Growing US Exports to Malaysia

© Daniel Workman

Jul 7, 2008

United States of America consumes about 19% of Malaysian exports. Other major clients for Malaysian exports include Singapore (15.4%), Japan (8.9%), China (7.2%), Thailand (5.3%) and Hong Kong (4.9%).

Leading Malaysian exports are electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber and textiles.

Japanese products account for 13.3% of imports into Malaysia, followed closely by America at 12.6%, China at 12.2% and Singapore at 11.7%. Thailand (5.5%), Taiwan (5.5%), South Korea (5.4%) and Germany (4.4%) furnish considerable import amounts to the southeastern Asian nation.

Principal imports from Malaysia include electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles, chemicals, plus iron and steel products.

In 2007, Malaysia exported an estimated US$181.2 billion worth of goods onto the international trade marketplace. Malaysian imports totalled roughly $145.7 billion, resulting in Malaysia’s $35.5-billion overall trade surplus last year.

Malaysian Trade with U.S.

A closer look at Malaysia’s trade statistics with the United States reveals that Malaysia enjoyed a US$21.1 billion trade surplus with its American trade partner in 2007. The most recent surplus statistic is 45.3% higher than the Malaysia-US surplus in 2003 but represents a 12% decrease from the $24 billion surplus in 2006.

Exports from Malaysia to U.S.

With a population of 25.3 million, Malaysia exported US$32.8 billion worth of merchandise to the United States in 2007, a 10.2% decrease from 2006 and up 28.9% in 4 years. The following product categories represent about 79% of Malaysian exports to America.

1. Computers …US$8.3 billion – up 5.9% from 2006 (25.2% of Malaysia-to-U.S. exports)
2. Computer accessories … $5.6 billion – down 16.3% (17.1%)
3. Telecommunications equipment … $4.4 billion – down 34.4% (13.5%)
4. Semiconductors … $2.9 billion – down 10% (8.8%)
5. Other household products (e.g. clocks) … $1.2 billion – down 26.7% (3.8%)
6. Furniture and household items (e.g. baskets) … $774.3 million – down 2.1% (2.4%)
7. Other hospital, medical and scientific equipment … $754.1 million – up 8.9% (2.3%)
8. Food oils and oilseeds … $676.9 million – up 63.9% (2.1%)
9. Stereo equipment including DVDs players … $605.5 million – down 29.7% (1.8%)
10. Cotton apparel and household goods … $509.8 billion – up 0.3% (1.6%).

In aggregate, Malaysia’s top 10 export product categories experienced decreased sales to the U.S. in 2007, down 12.5% from 2006. This contrasts with an 8.5% gain for the top 10 Malaysian exports to the U.S. from 2005 to 2006.

Fastest-Growing Malaysian Exports to U.S.

Below are selected Malaysian exports to America in 2007 with the highest percentage sales increases from 2006.

1. Fuel oil … US$268 million (up 103.5% from 2006)
2. Food oils and oilseeds … $676.9 million (up 63.9%)
3. Other automotive parts and accessories … $285.2 million (up 63.6%)
4. Industrial organic chemicals … $310.2 million (up 50.6%)
5. Business machinery other than computers … $211.4 million (up 50.1%).

Fastest-Declining Malaysian Exports to U.S.

Selected Malaysian exports to America in 2007 with the highest percentage sales decreases from 2006 are listed below.

1. Crude oil … US$23.4 million (down 86.7% from 2006)
2. Video equipment including television receivers … $460.9 million (down 52.8%)
3. Semi-finished iron and steel mill products … $153.1 million (down 48.3%)
4. Telecommunications equipment … $4.4 billion (down 34.4%)
5. Stereo equipment including DVDs players … $605.5 million (down 29.7%).

Malaysian Imports from U.S.

Malaysian imports from the U.S. fell by 6.9% to $11.7 billion in 2007, up 7% since 2003.

Of American exports to Malaysia in 2007, the following product categories had the highest values and in total represented about 70% of all U.S. shipments into Malaysia.

1. Semiconductors … US$5 billion – down 13.6% from 2006 (43.1% of Malaysian imports from America)
2. Computer accessories … $546.7 million – down 6.2% (4.7%)
3. Other industrial machines … $529.6 million – up 21.2% (4.5%)
4. Telecommunications equipment … $479.9 million – down 23.4% (4.1%)
5. Electric apparatus … $460.2 million – down 22.2% (3.9%)
6. Steelmaking materials … $361.4 million – up 78.1% (3.1%)
7. Measuring, testing and control instruments … $284.6 million – down 32.2% (2.4%)
8. Civilian aircraft engines … $211.8 million – up 69.2% (1.8%)
9. Civilian aircraft parts … $165.3 million – down 3.4% (1.4%)
10. Plastic materials … $154.7 million – up 20.7% (1.3%).

Last year, Malaysia’s top 10 import product categories from the U.S. shrank by 10% from 2006. From 2005 to 2006, the top 10 Malaysian imports from the U.S. had gained about 16%.

Fastest-Growing Malaysian Imports from U.S.

Below are selected American exports to Malaysia in 2007 with the highest percentage sales increases from 2006.

1. Iron and steel mill products … US$49.8 million (up 505% from 2006)
2. Business machinery other than computers … $52.5 million (up 198%)
3. Corn … $59.9 million (up 174%)
4. Soybeans… $118.7 million (up 125%)
5. Dairy products and eggs … $95.6 million (up 98%).

Fastest-Declining Malaysian Imports from U.S.

Selected American exports to Malaysia in 2007 with the highest percentage sales decreases from 2006 are listed below.

1. Civilian aircraft … US$129.8 million (down 75.9% in 2006)
2. Metalworking machine tools … $78.8 million (down 39.8%)
3. Measuring, testing and control instruments … $284.6 million (down 32.2%)
4. Drilling and oilfield equipment … $65.3 million (down 26%)
5. Telecommunications equipment … $479.9 million (down 23.4%).

See also Malaysia's Top Imports & Exports 2008.

Sources

This analysis is based on latest statistics from the US Census Bureau - Foreign Trade Statistics and CIA World Factbook as of the date of article publication.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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