A polymetaphenylene isophthalamide porous hollow fiber membrane is
produced by extruding a film-forming solution comprising
polymetaphenylene isophthalamide, polyvinylpyrrolidone and an inorganic
salt through a concentric double annular spinning nozzle while keeping
the film-forming solution at 70.degree. C. or higher, thereby conducting
dry-and-wet spinning, followed by moisture retention treatment, where it
is preferable to subject the resulting porous hollow fiber membrane
obtained by dry-and-wet spinning to heat treatment in water at 80.degree.
C. or higher before the moisture retention treatment. The
polymetaphenylene isophthalamide porous hollow fiber membrane resulting
from wet heat treatment under wet heat conditions at the temperature of
100.degree. C. and the humidity of 8% for 1,000 hours or more has a
strength at break of 10 MPa or more and a elongation at break of 80% or
more, where the elongation at break can keep at least 80% as high as that
before the wet heat treatment, and also has distinguished resistance to
moisture and heat and humidifying performance, so that the membrane can
be used as an effective humidifying membrane for polymer electrolyte fuel
cells, etc.