China's total trade surplus was US$23.3 billion for the first
three months of this year, according to a report released by the
General Administration of Customs (GAC) on Wednesday.
China's export volume grew by 26.6 percent year on year to
US$197.3 billion in the first quarter, while imports were worth
US$174 billion, up 24.8 percent from a year ago.
China saw a record high monthly trade volume of US$144.9 billion
in March, an increase of 24.9 percent year on year.
Exports in March reached US$78.04 billion, growing by 28.3
percent year on year, while imports reached US$66.86 billion, up
21.1 percent.
China's general trade in the first quarter reached US$156.79
billion, with exports growing by 24.4 percent from a year ago to
nearly US$82 billion while imports were up 22.3 percent to US$74.8
billion.
Exports of processed goods grew by 27.3 percent year on year to
over US$107 billion and import processing volume was up 26.5
percent to US$70.84 billion.
The EU remains China's top trading partner with bilateral trade
growing by 21.1 percent year on year to US$57.11 billion.
The US is China's second largest trading partner and Japan, the
third, with trade volumes valued at US$55.62 billion and US$45.97
billion respectively.
ASEAN maintained its position as China's fourth largest trading
partner with bilateral trade growing by 25.7 percent year on year
to US$34.53 billion.
(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2006)