China’s exports surged in February while its politically sensitive trade surplus widened amid mounting tension with Washington. Exports rose 44.5 percent over a year earlier to $171.6 billion, accelerating from January’s 11.1 percent growth, customs data showed Thursday. Imports rose 6.3 percent to $137
China’s exports surged in February while its politically sensitive trade surplus widened amid mounting tension with Washington.
Exports rose 44.5 percent over a year earlier to $171.6 billion, accelerating from January’s 11.1 percent growth, customs data showed Thursday. Imports rose 6.3 percent to $137.8 billion, down sharply from the previous month’s 36.9 percent rate.
Trade data are distorted by the Lunar New Year holiday, which falls at different times in January or February each year. Data for the combined two-month period, which economists often use to screen out the holiday influence, showed exports rising by a robust 24.4 percent over a year earlier, up from December’s 10.9 percent growth.
«Both foreign and domestic demand look healthy, though imports are not as robust as during the same period last year,» said Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics in a report.
«The bigger picture is that while China’s trade surplus with most of the world has declined during the past year thanks to the stronger Chinese demand for commodities, its surplus with the U.
