China's exports down 3.5%, imports up 2.4% in March

China's foreign trade showed signs of stabilizing in March with export and import both beating bearish market expectations, official data showed on Tuesday.

Exports dipped 3.5 percent year on year in yuan terms last month while imports climbed 2.4 percent, data from the General Administration of Customs showed.

In March, foreign trade of goods totaled 2.45 trillion yuan (US$$348 billion), down 0.8 percent year on year, compared with a decline of 9.5 percent during the January-February period, the GAC said.

In the first quarter, foreign trade of goods fell 6.4 percent year on year to 6.57 trillion yuan.

Exports dropped 11.4 percent to 3.33 trillion yuan while imports dipped 0.7 percent to 3.24 trillion yuan during the first three months, resulting in a trade surplus of 98.33 billion yuan, down 80.6 percent year on year, customs data showed.

China has rolled out a string of policies to help foreign trade firms resume operation amid further containment of COVID-19, the GAC noted.