Trade Trend Estimates for Latin America and the Caribbean,”published on December 18 that exports from Latin America and the Caribbean have increased by around 13 percent in 2017, while exports to China were up 30%, thelargest contribution to this growth.Exports from Latin America and the Caribbean are nearing $985 billion this year. The 30 % increase ofLatin America's exports to China is largely due to rising raw-material prices and rising consumer demand in China. According to the report, South America's exports in 2017 grew by 16% compared with last year. The countries with faster growth are Venezuela, Peru, Colombia, Brazil and Ecuador. Caribbean exports increased by 11%; Mexico grew by 10%; Central America grew by 6%. Paul Giordano, chief economist of the trade integration department of the Inter-American Development Bank, said whether the export situation of Latin America and the Caribbean can grow steadily or not, will depend on the accelerated recovery of the region's economy, the rising demand of Asian markets such as China, and the result of market access negotiations with the United States and the European Union and other factors.