China s trade surplus hits $1.68 billion in April

China returned to a trade surplus in April on strong exports growth after posting its first monthly deficit in almost six years in March, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) announced on May 10th. The GAC figures showed China s exports in April were valued at $119.92 billion, up 30.5 percent year on year and 6.3 percent from March. In the same month, the country s imports reached $118.24 billion, up 49.7 percent year on year, but down less than 1 percent from March.

China s April trade surplus of $1.68 billion was down sharply by 87 percent from the same month last year, according to the GAC.

In the first four months, exports rose 29.2 percent year on year to $436.05 billion, while imports surged 60.1 percent to $419.94 billion, with a trade surplus of $16.11 billion, sharply down 78.6 percent from a year earlier.

Analysts and officials said as both imports and exports maintained steady growth since the beginning of 2010, the falling trade surplus was a good sign of more balanced trade situation for China.