CHINA'S trade growth was surprisingly good in December, a positive sign as the world's second-largest economy continued to recover.
Exports surged 14.1 percent from a year earlier, compared to November's 2.9 percent increase. And imports, which had failed to grow in November, rose 6 percent last month, the General Administration of Customs said yesterday.
Last year as a whole, China's exports increased 7.9 percent to US$2.05 trillion and imports gained 4.3 percent to US$1.81 trillion, consolidating the country's position as the world's largest exporter and second largest importer.
China's trade surplus in 2012 stood at US$231 billion, swelling from the US$155 billion in 2011.
"The strong growth in December was very unexpected," said Li Maoyu, an analyst with Changjiang Securities Co. "It was likely powered by improving conditions in the European Union and the United States, where demand had increased."
Customs data showed that China's trade with the EU, its biggest trading partner, fell 3.7 percent on an annual basis in 2012, narrowing from the decrease of 4.1 percent in the first 11 months, while US shipments jumped 8.5 percent last year, up from the 8.2 percent between January and November.
Booming bilateral trade with other emerging markets also helped China to secure a relatively stable performance last year, although it was short of the government's initial growth target of 10 percent.
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