China's trade surplus reached US$16.68 billion in April, the General Administration of Customs said on Monday.

The figure was down 1.14 percent year-on-year but up 24.5 percent from US$13.4 billion in March, and it was almost double the US$8.6 billion posted in February.

Exports in April rose 21.8 percent year-on-year to US$118.71 billion, while imports rose 26.3 percent to US$102.03 billion.

Total trade in the first four months hit US$791.1 billion, up 24.4 percent year-on-year. The four-month trade surplus was US$58 billion, down US$5.32 billion year-on-year.

Exports in the four-month period were US$424.6 billion, up 21.5 percent, or 6 percentage points less than a year earlier. Imports were US$366.6 billion, up 27.9 percent, or 8.8 percentage points more than a year earlier.

(Xinhua News Agency May 12, 2008)