WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- All 435 districts in the U.S. House of Representatives have benefited a lot from trade with China, according to a report released by the U.S.-China Business Council (USCBC) on Thursday.

    The report, undertaken by the Trade Partnership, quantifies exports to China from 2000 -- the year before China joined the World Trade Organization -- through 2006 from every congressional district in the 110th Congress.

    "This report illustrates the widespread benefits to the US economy that have resulted from growing U.S. exports to China," said USCBC President John Frisbie.

    "The report also acts as a reminder to Congress to keep the benefits of trade in mind when crafting legislation that may affect the U.S.-China commercial relationship," he added.

    The report said overall U.S. exports to China grew 240 percent from 2000 through 2006, while in Alabama's 2nd congressional district, exports rose 400 percent during the 2000-06 period; the top export category in 2006 was crop production.

    Tennessee's 4th district also exported more agricultural goods to China in 2006 than any other type of good; the district's exports to China increased more than 1,600 percent from 2000 through 2006.

    Exports to China from Colorado's 4th district increased 235 percent from 2000-06, with computers and electronics the top export category in 2006.

    Texas' 32nd district (Dallas County) exported almost 450 million dollars in computers and electronics equipment to China in 2006; exports to China from this district grew 374 percent from 2000 to 2006.

    Indiana's 5th district exported chemicals worth 57 million dollars in 2006; overall exports to China were up 156 percent from 2000 through 2006.

    Chemicals were also the top 2006 export from Missouri's 3rd district; exports were up more than 500 percent from this district from 2000-06.

    Machinery manufactures were the top export category in 2006 of Oklahoma's 1st congressional district; exports to China from this district grew 110 percent in the 2000-06 period.

    Michigan's 12th district exported 143 million dollar worth of transportation equipment to China in 2006; the district's export growth from 2000-06 was 389 percent, according to the report.

Top U.S. economists rap protectionist measures

    BEIJING, Aug. 3 -- More than 1,000 top American economists have signed a petition opposing the protectionist policies proposed by the U.S. Congress against China.

    The U.S. Senate Banking Committee approved legislation on Wednesday that aims to force the government to get tougher when dealing with China in trade issues.