BEIJING: China’s trade surplus surged in January, according to data showing exports strengthened markedly in a potentially brighter note for the world’s second-biggest economy after recent disappointments —although some economists suggested the numbers could be distorted.
The surplus rose 14.0 percent year-on-year in January to $31.86bn, the General Administration of Customs said, rebounding from a decline the previous month. Exports jumped more than expected, increasing 10.6 percent to $207.13bn, while imports were up 10.0 percent at $175.27bn.
In December, the overall trade surplus fell 17.4 percent year-on-year to $25.64bn. The strong results surprised economists, with some suggesting they were driven by disguised capital flows instead of real demand.
“We find this strong level of export growth puzzling,” said Zhang Zhiwei, economist at Nomura International in Hong Kong. AFP
