BEIJING — Trade between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region totaled $36.6 billion in the first two months of this year, down 1.5 percent year-on-year.

Statistics from the Ministry of Commerce showed that mainland-Hong Kong trade during the period accounted for 6.5 percent of the mainland's total overseas trade volume.

In January and February, mainland exports to Hong Kong hit $35.5 billion, an increase of 1.5 percent on a year-on-year basis, while the mainland's imports from the region saw a decrease of 48.9 percent to $1.1 billion.

Hong Kong is the mainland's sixth-largest trade partner and fourth-largest export market, according to the ministry.

The mainland approved 1,847 Hong Kong-invested projects in the first two months, with the actual use of Hong Kong capital reaching $14.9 billion, up 27.5 percent from the same period of last year.

By the end of February, the mainland had approved 400,813 Hong Kong-invested projects, with the actual use of Hong Kong capital reaching $929.7 billion, accounting for 52 percent of the total overseas investment in the mainland.