HONG KONG (AP) — Customs data show that China's trade tumbled in January, in a fresh sign of the weakness confronting the world's No. 2 economy.
Numbers released Monday show that exports fell 11.2 percent to $177.5 billion, a sharp deterioration from the 1.4 percent decline reported for December.
Imports shrank by 18.8 percent to $114.2 billion, a faster fall than the previous month's 7.6 percent contraction.
The export figure reflects weaker demand for shipments of manufactured goods as the global recovery continues to stumble.
Economists, however, might reserve final analysis until figures for February are out because the timing of Chinese New Year distorts China's data at the beginning of the year.
China's economy posted its slowest rate of growth in a quarter century last year, expanding 6.9 percent.