China’s foreign trade down sixth month in a row

September 11th, 2009 BEIJING - China's industrial output accelerated 12.3 percent in August from a year earlier, after gaining 10.8 percent in July, the National Bureau of Statistics said Friday. The August growth rate was 0.5 percentage points lower than the growth figure for the like month last year, but 1.5 percentage points up from July.

September 10th, 2009 China's exports, trade surplus fall in AugustSHANGHAI — China's exports languished in August, contracting 23 percent, increasing the onus on Beijing's massive stimulus spending to drive an economic recovery. Customs data released Friday show August's exports were worth $103.7 billion compared with $134.9 billion in the same month a year earlier.

August 17th, 2009 BEIJING - China received $5.36 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in July, down 35.7 percent year on year, said Ministry of Commerce spokesman Yao Jian Monday. China's total export-import volume between January and July decreased by 22.7 percent year on year to $1,146.71 billion.

July 15th, 2009 China's foreign reserves rise to $2.13 trillionBEIJING — China's foreign reserves rose to $2.13 trillion at the end of June despite a trade slump, data showed Wednesday, and analysts said that suggested the flow of foreign money into stocks and real estate was rising. The reserves, already the world's largest, expanded by 17.8 percent or $186 billion over the first half of the year, the central bank said.

June 15th, 2009 Foreign direct investment in China falls 17.8 pctBEIJING — Foreign direct investment in China fell in May for the eighth straight month as the global economic crisis battered trade and corporate finance, the Commerce Ministry said Monday. Foreign direct investment in May totaled $6.4 billion, down 17.8 percent from the same month last year, while the number of new approved foreign companies reached 1,649, down 32 percent year-on-year, ministry spokesman Yao Jian said at a news conference.

June 11th, 2009 China's May exports plunge 26.4 percentBEIJING — China's trade plunged in May but analysts said the worst of the slump is past and the world's third-largest economy is improving as investment rises sharply. May exports fell by a record 26.4 percent from the same month of 2008, while imports were down 25.2 percent, the customs agency reported Thursday.

May 20th, 2009 BEIJING - China's foreign financial assets increased by 23 percent from a year earlier to $2.92 trillion by the end of last year, officials said Wednesday. The country's net foreign financial assets rose 31 percent year on year to $1.52 trillion last year, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) said.

May 12th, 2009 China's exports sink 22.6 percent in AprilSHANGHAI — China's exports plunged 22.6 percent in April from the year before in the sixth straight monthly decline, the government said Tuesday, while a torrent in bank lending meant to ward off the economic downturn pushed up spending on factories, real estate and other fixed assets. April's decline in exports, to $91.9 billion, was bigger than the 17 percent drop in March and suggests China's trade sector has yet to see much relief from the prolonged drought in demand brought on by the global downturn.

April 16th, 2009 BEIJING - China's economy expanded by 6.1 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, official data showed Thursday. The quarterly growth rate was the lowest in 10 years as the global financial crisis continued to affect the world's fastest-growing economy.

April 15th, 2009 BEIJING - Foreign direct investment (FDI) in China posted a 20.6 percent year-on-year decline in the first quarter to $21.78 billion, the ministry of commerce announced Wednesday. In March, FDI was $8.4 billion, down 9.5 percent from a year earlier, ministry spokesman Yao Jian said at a news conference.

March 25th, 2009 TOKYO - Japan's exports dropped by 49.4 percent in February, the biggest plunge on record, as global demand for cars and electronics declined, the Ministry of Finance said Wednesday. Exports dropped to 3.5 trillion yen ($35.7 billion) year-on-year in February, the fifth consecutive monthly drop and the biggest since the beginning of records in 1980.

March 9th, 2009 TOKYO - Japan logged its first current account deficit in 13 years in January of 172.8 billion yen ($1.8 billion), the Finance Ministry data showed Monday. It was the first current account deficit since January 1996 and the largest since comparable data became available in January 1985, the government said.

March 6th, 2009 TORONTO - Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon will visit India from March 13 to open his country's new trade office in Kolkata. Prime Minister Stephen Harper had announced the opening of two new trade offices in India - Hyderabad and Kolkata - last year at the first annual gala of the Canada-India Foundation.

January 12th, 2009 BEIJING - China's exports and imports declined for the second consecutive month in December, reflecting deteriorating demand in external and domestic markets amid the global financial crisis. The country's exports fell 2.8 percent in December from a year earlier to $111.16 billion, while imports in the month totalled $72.18 billion, down 21.3 percent year on year, the General Administration of Customs said Tuesday.

December 22nd, 2008 BEIJING - China's total volume of foreign trade is expected to reach $2.6 trillion in 2008, up from $2.17 trillion last year, Commerce Minister Chen Deming said Tuesday. The country's foreign investment is expected to hit $95 billion, up from $74.8 billion, Chen said.