China Focus: October export growth accelerates, imports steady

BEIJING, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- China's trade surplus widened in October, as export growth accelerated and import growth remained steady, according to data issued by customs authorities on Saturday.

Exports rose 11.6 percent from one year earlier in October, beating market expectations for a rise of 9 percent and stronger than the 9.9-percent increase registered in September, according to the General Administration of Customs.

Imports climbed 2.4 percent year on year last month, unchanged from the growth in September.

This resulted in a widening trade surplus of 31.99 billion U.S. dollars in October, compared with 27.67 billion U.S. dollars in September and 26.66 billion U.S. dollars in August.

The rise in exports was the strongest since May, but analysts have been cautious to take it as a solid recovery because of sluggish external demand.

Weakening demand was reflected in the recently concluded Canton Fair, China's largest biannual trade fair, where total turnover dropped 9.3 percent compared with the fair's spring session.

The pick-up in exports growth in September and October only signals "a mild improvement" in the situation, Minister of Commerce Chen Deming said.

The improvement was caused by a higher comparative base from last year and the government's supportive measures, said Long Guoqiang, director of the Research Department of Foreign Economic Relations of the Development Research Center of the State Council.

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