Official Data: China reports strong trade figures

BEIJING: The pace of Chinese export growth is slowing official data showed on Saturday, but analysts say stronger than expected US demand helped narrow China’s politically sensitive trade surplus in November. The combined value of China’s monthly exports and imports rose from October, the data showed, despite ongoing turmoil in the country’s key markets of Europe and the United States, and Beijing’s growing concern about economic growth. China’s trade surplus narrowed to $14.5 billion in November from $17 billion in October, China’s customs office said. China’s exports rose 13.8% year-on-year to $174.46 billion in November, up from $157.49 billion in October, the customs office said in a statement, and greater than the 10.4% expected by 16 economists polled by Dow Jones newswires. Analysts said the unexpected strength in the monthly exports rise did not change the overall slowing trend.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11^th, 2011.