China's foreign trade picks up speed in July due to strong demand

China's foreign trade reached 24.83 trillion yuan (.46 trillion) in the first seven months of this year, witnessing a year-on-year increase of 6.2 percent, according to data released Wednesday by the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

Lyu Dailiang, spokesperson of the GAC, noted that China's economic operation has been generally stable, with foreign trade maintaining a positive trend since the beginning of the year.

In the same period, exports totaled 14.26 trillion yuan, up 6.7 percent; while imports were 10.57 trillion yuan, an increase of 5.4 percent.  

Strong growth has been attributed to a number of factors, including a strong domestic demand, advanced manufacturing, and a rebound in global trade. 

Analysts have expressed optimism about China's current trade volume and its prospects into the second half of the year. This bodes well for the Chinese economy in maintaining its growth momentum. 

(With input from Xinhua)