China's trade up 10.2% in December

China's foreign trade growth has missed the government's 10% annual target set for 2012, rising only 6.2% from 2011. Official data released by the General Administration of Customs shows the total volume of exports and imports in December surpassed 366.8 billion US dollars, a 10.2% year-on-year increase.

The country's exports and imports volume totaled 3.9 trillion US dollars last year, and growth slowed sharply from the 22.5% rise registered in 2011. Exports rose 7.9 percent in 2012 from the previous year, surpassing 2 trillion US dollars.

Meanwhile, imports increased by 4.3 percent year on year to 1.8 trillion US dollars. The foreign trade surplus widened to 231.1 billion US dollars last year, 48.1 percent more than the level recorded in 2011.