Strength in numbers

13 October 2010 By Wei Gu

China’s thirdquarter trade surplus was its highest since 2008, despite falling slightly in September. Meanwhile, its pile of foreign exchange hit $2.6 trillion. As the yuan falls against trade partners’ currencies, the numbers set China up for tough questions at November’s G20.

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Chinese exports rose 25 percent in September from a year earlier. Month on month, they rose 4 percent. Imports gained 24 percent in September, year on year, to reach a record high. The trade surplus was $16.9 billion in September, 16 percent lower than in August.

On a quarterly basis, exports rose 5.4 percent from the third quarter of 2009. Imports rose 13.5 percent. The threemonth trade surplus was the largest since the fourth quarter of 2008.

China's foreign exchange reserves rose by $194 billion in the JulySeptember period to $2.6 trillion, the People's Bank of China said on Oct. 13.

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