n
leks were exports and 530 million leks imports. Although the rate of
trade expansion during 1966-68 exceeded the target, the export-import
ratio was not as favorable as that called for by the plan.

The directional pattern of the country's foreign trade has conformed to
the general observation that trade follows aid. The assumption by
Communist China in 1961 of the major aid donor position previously held
by the Soviet Union had an immediate and pronounced impact on the
direction of trade. In 1960 Communist China accounted for only 7 percent
of the total trade volume, as against 54 percent for the Soviet Union.
By 1962 trade with Communist China had grown to 51 percent of a somewhat
smaller total volume, whereas trade with the Soviets had ceased
altogether by 1963. In 1964 Communist China's share of the trade was
equal to that of the Soviet Union in 1960, and the actual volume
represented by that share was 23 percent larger. During the 1962-68
period trade with Communist China amounted to about half the total trade
volume, but the share of Communist China declined below that level
toward the end of this period. This decline was the result of a
successful effort by the leadership to expand the country's trade with
both Communist Eastern Europe and the non-Communist West.

Trade with the Communist countries of Eastern Europe, other than
Yugoslavia, continued after the break with the Soviet Union and
increased by 66 percent from 226 million leks in 1960 to about 375
million leks in 1968. The share of this group in total trade rose during
this period from 35 to 40 percent, almost entirely after 1964. Albania's
most important trade partner in this group has been Czechoslovakia,
second only to Communist China with a volume of 118 million leks in
1968, equivalent to about 12 percent of Albania's total trade volume in
that year. Following Czechoslovakia in order of importance were Poland,
East Germany, and Bulgaria, with trade volumes ranging from 69 million
to 53 million leks. Trade with Hungary and Romania amounted to about 40
million leks and 32 million leks, respectively. With the exception of
Poland and Romania, Albania's trade balance with the countries of
Eastern Europe was positive between 1960 and 1968. The excess of
exports over imports during this period totaled about 65 million leks.

During the early years of the country's dependence upon Soviet aid,
trade with non-Communist countries and with Yugoslavia had be