China's trade surplus for the month totaled $14.17 billion, easing from $18.44 billion in December, according to data published by the General Administration of Customs on its Web site.
Exports totaled $109.48 billion, a rise of 21% from a year earlier, following on from a rise of 17.7% in December. Imports totaled $95.31 billion, an increase of 85.5% from a year earlier, and following a 55.9% rise in December.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, exports for the month were down 0.9% from December while imports contracted 5.5%, the customs bureau said.