China's exports may 'fare better' than in 2012

CHINA is cautiously optimistic about its export performance this year, Minister of Commerce Chen Deming said yesterday.

"If the external environment does not change drastically, China's exports may fare better than that of last year," Chen said in Beijing.

China's exports in January surged 25 percent year on year, exceeding earlier expectations - indicating the recovery from last year's eurozone debt crisis seemed to be accelerating.

China, the world's largest exporter, shipped goods worth US$2.05 trillion in 2012, up 7.9 percent from a year earlier.

Lu Zhengwei, chief economist at the Industrial Bank, said the performance of Chinese exports may stabilize in February, with overseas sales expanding 15 percent.

Chen, however, added that China should monitor the risks, caused by systemic problems arising from the sovereign debt-triggered global financial crisis, in foreign markets.

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