The data was broadly in line with what economists had expected and comes just ahead of a planned meeting between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump. That’s set for late September, though Beijing has not yet confirmed the exact date for the visit. Trade is expected to be among the key topics of discussion between Trump and Xi when the two leaders meet.
China’s global imports climbed 28.2% in August from a year earlier, up from July’s 27.5% rise. Exports grew 23.9% year-on-year in July. The trade surplus expanded in August to $119.1 billion from $112.5 billion in July.