China's exports improve in July

China's exports went up 5.1 percent year on year to 185.99 billion U.S. dollars in July, recovering from a tumble in June, according to data issued on Thursday.

Imports also rebounded in July, gaining 10.9 percent to 168.17 billion U.S. dollars, the General Administration of Customs said in an online statement.

Total foreign trade grew 7.8 percent in July over a year earlier to 354.16 billion U.S. dollars, recording a year-on-year decline of 2 percent in June.

The trade surplus narrowed by 29.6 percent year on year to 17.82 billion U.S. dollars in July, as import gains outpaced export gains.

In July, two-way trade with the EU, China's largest trade partner, rose 5 percent, while that with the United States, China's second-largest trade partner, rose 10 percent.

Trade with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member countries increased 13.1 percent. Trade with Japan shrank 6.1 percent during the period.

Exports of electronics and machinery products grew by 4 percent to reach 102.85 billion U.S. dollars in July, accounting for 55.3 percent of the total exports.