China’s exports rose 13.2% in the first half of the year in yuan terms from the year-ago period, accelerating from an 11.4% increase recorded in the first five months, according to data released Wednesday by the General Administration of Customs.

Imports rose 4.8% in the first half in yuan terms, picking up from a 4.7% increase in the January-May period, the customs bureau said.

It also said foreign trade sped up in May and June, and imports and exports combined rose 14.3% from a year earlier in June, up from a 9.5% increase in May.

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China’s exports grew more than expected in June as Beijing eased Covid-19 restrictions to support economic growth, official data showed Wednesday.

Outbound shipment increased 17.9% from a year earlier last month, up from May’s 16.9% expansion, the General Administration of Customs said.

The result beat the median forecast for a 12% increase made by economists in a poll by The Wall Street Journal.

Imports rose 1% from a year earlier in June, lower than both the 4.1% increase recorded in May and the 3.6% growth expected by the economists in the WSJ poll.

The country’s trade surplus stood at $97.94 billion in June, compared with $78.8 billion in May. The polled economists had forecast a surplus of $76.9 billion.

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