Diamond trading on the Shanghai Diamond Exchange (SDE) is expected to continue its pattern of growth during 2007, as estimated by the Diamond Administration of China (DAC). DAC predicts the total volume of diamond imports and exports on the SDE to increase by almost 50% to amount to $900 million in 2007, which in 2006 had hiked up by 44% to value at $610 million, as compared to 2005.

Ma Xiuhong, the vice-minister of commerce, mentioned that “Under the current favourable tax policy, it is time to take the diamond industry to a new level”.