China exported US$47.4 billion of cotton products in the first eight months in 2007, up 32.29 percent over the corresponding period last year, said the industry association in Beijing Thursday.

Of the total, cotton textile export reached US$11.8 billion, up 10.76 percent while cotton apparel export reached US$35.6 billion, an increase of 41.38 percent, said the China National Textile and Apparel Council.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Japan, the United States, Russia and Canada ranked the top five importers and purchased US$6.96 billion, US$5.74 billion, US$5.72 billion, US$2.98 billion and US$1.65 billion of China's cotton products respectively.

China's cotton product export to the US, Russia and Canada rose by 65.06 percent, 173.36 percent and 101.49 percent respectively year-on-year in this period.

China imported US$4.07 billion of cotton products in the first eight months, up 3.97 percent year-on-year.