China's exports jump 36.3% as its trade surplus nears a record

China's trade surplus in September

133.5 US$ billion

China's customs agency said its trade surplus reached US$133.5 billion in September, up from US$119.1 billion in August, as exports grew faster than imports.

From January to September, the surplus reached US$938.1 billion. It could pass last year's full-year record of US$1.2 trillion.

Export growth, Jan to Sep

1. 1 Semiconductors: +108.1%
2. 2 Data processing equipment: +54.6%
3. 3 Cars: +54.3%

High-tech goods drive the growth: semiconductor exports rose 108.1 per cent in the first nine months, data processing equipment 54.6 per cent and cars 54.3 per cent.

What's next

Trading partners are pushing back: the European Union runs a deficit of more than US$1.1 billion a day with China. Its trade chief says a deal with Beijing will halve Chinese hybrid car imports over the next few years.