As a result, imports increased by $1.2 billion in the first quarter of 1988, up 47 percent from a year earlier.

In April, imports increased by 31 percent from the previous year's level.

Over the last 25 years, he said, Chinese imports have increased from "practically nothing to $60 billion a year."

Imports increased about 4.5 million barrels a day in the last decade.

In yen terms, imports from Europe increased by 11.9 percent.

Imports from China have increased overall, but within reasonable limits.

Between 1821 and 1837, imports of the drug increased fivefold.

By the 1920s imports had increased to over 20,000 per annum.

Chinese exports to many other countries rose even faster, while its total imports increased by only 8 percent.

Some traders said the report on the trade deficit, which showed imports were increasing, was a cause.