China's trade surplus widens in April

Imports edged up 0.3 percent to $144.8 billion in April while exports rose 4.9 percent to $163.3 billion, leaving a surplus of $18.4 billion, according to customs data released Thursday. That compared with a surplus of $5.35 billion in March and a deficit of $31.5 billion in February. China often has a large trade deficit early in the year as factories restock after their long lunar new year holiday break. The weak import numbers could be a sign Chinese policymakers are failing to boost demand by businesses and consumers for imported goods and raises concerns about whether China will be able to bounce back from slowing growth. In March, imports rose 5.3 percent while exports climbed nearly 9 percent. The figures for April, especially weakening exports to the 27-nation European Union, China's biggest trading partner, were a disappointment, economists say. "If the euro zone falls into a deep recession, and that in turn slows US growth, China's export growth will be impacted," ANZ economists Li-gang Liu and Hao Zhou said in an analysis. A downturn in China's property sector has stalled construction, sharply reducing demand. Slowing imports also reflect falling prices, as well as volumes, for key commodities, such as iron ore and crude oil. South Korea also recently reported weak trade figures, seen as a sign of prolonged weakness in global trade, Wei Yao, an economist with Societe Generale in Hong Kong, said in a comment before China's trade data were released.