GUANGZHOU, China - China's rubber sector saw a 2.7 percent rise in export volume to 9.3 million metric tons in 2016, according to information released at the 2017 China Rubber Conference.

However, export value fell by 8.1 percent to $44.3 billion, according to figures presented at the event held in Guangzhou last week.

The footwear segment led the sector with $25.8 billion export value, although down by 8.9 percent from 2015, followed by the tire segment at $12.9 billion, down by 6.8 percent.

Tire export volume increased by 6.4 percent to 5.8 million tons, accounting for nearly two thirds of the total volume.

"It means [tire export] has a much lower added value than other products," said China Rubber Industry Association's secretary general Mary Xu.