Service sector trade to pass $300b mark

BEIJING - China's service trade volume is expected to exceed $300 billion by the end of 2010, up more than 20 percent year-on-year, said officials from the Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday.

The total volume of trade in services over the first half of this year hit $165.6 billion, up 31.7 percent year-on-year. Service sector exports grew 41.2 percent to $76.97 billion, while imports registered an increase of 24.5 percent, reaching $88.66 billion, according to data released by the ministry.

Among different sectors, construction and transportation demonstrated the most conspicuous increases, official figures showed.