Beijing: China's trade surplus dropped sharply to $8.55 billion in February, almost one-third of the level during the same month last year, Customs authorities said today.

The figure is also about half the trade surplus of $19.49 billion reported in January, the General Administration of Customs said. Analysts attributed the sharp drop partly to the snow disaster, the worst in five decades, that caused havoc in half of China.

China's trade surplus has been falling for four months on a row since October last. Imports rose by 35.1 per cent in February to $78.81 billion and exports by 6.5 per cent to $87.37 billion, official Xinhua news agency said quoting the Administration. China's trade volume touched $166.18 billion, 18.4 per cent rise from a year earlier.

Source : PTI