China becomes Ukraine's second biggest trading partner

China has become Ukraine's second biggest trading partner in the first eight months of 2013, with total trade hitting 7.3 billion US dollars, authorities said Wednesday. The figure accounted for 8 percent of Ukraine's total foreign trade and represented a 16.6-percent increase year on year, the Ukrainian Income and Fees Ministry said in a statement. During the first eight months of 2013, Ukraine's exports to China jumped 46.4 percent from a year ago, while imports rose 9.2 percent, the statement said. Ukraine's main exports to China include industrial goods, foodstuffs and spare parts for vehicles, while China primarily exports technological products, machinery and light industry goods to Ukraine. Trade between Kiev and Beijing saw an increase in recent years and reached some 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2012. The two countries have set a target of 20 billion dollars in bilateral trade by 2017.