China's April exports up 14.7 percent

BEIJING, May 8 (UPI) -- China's April exports grew 14.7 percent year-on-year and imports rose 16.8 percent for a surplus of $18.2 billion, data indicated Wednesday.

April's 14.7 export growth announced by the General Administration of Customs, compared with the 10 percent growth year-on-year growth in March and April's trade surplus was a turnaround from a surprise March deficit of $884 million.

The latest numbers should be welcome to policymakers who have been trying to spur the Chinese economy, whose growth rate slowed to 7.7 percent in the first quarter of this year from 7.9 percent in the same period of last year.

April exports totaled $188.5 billion and imports totaled $179.8 billion, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.