CHINESE exports grew faster than expected in September, easing worries about a slowdown in the economy.
Customs data issued on Saturday showed that exports grew 9.9 per cent year-on-year, a big jump on the 2.7 per cent growth recorded in August.
Imports bounced back 2.4 per cent in September, after three months of consecutive declines.
Copper imports rose to a four-month high, while purchases of iron ore were the biggest since January 2011.
Many economists had forecast that September exports would expand by about 5 per cent.
According to the data, China's exports to the US increased at their fastest pace in three months, but those to the European Union fell by 10.7 per cent.
The World Bank cut its growth forecast for China this year to 7.7 per cent from its May outlook of 8.2 per cent.
That is much stronger than the US, where growth is forecast in to be in the low single digits, but painful for Chinese companies that have enjoyed rapid expansion.