China's imports and exports fell 10.7 percent in October year on year, but monthly exports exceeded US$100 billion for a fourth straight month this year, the General Administration of Customs announced Wednesday.

Imports stood at US$86.8 billion for October, a decrease of 6.4 percent compared with the same month last year; exports dropped 13.8 percent to US$110.8 billion.

From January to October, the country's imports and exports totaled US$1.76 trillion, down 19.9 percent compared with the same period last year.

Imports for the first 10 months were US$798.13 billion, down 19 percent year on year; exports declined 20.5 percent to US$957.36 billion.

The trade surplus for the first 10 months was down 27.2 percent at US$159.23 billion.

The EU was China's biggest trading partner for this period, though bilateral trade declined 18.7 percent to US$292.42 billion in value; the US was second with bilateral trade at US$239.36 billion, down 14.9 percent; Japan followed with bilateral trade down 19.3 percent at US$182.34 billion.

(Xinhua News Agency November 11, 2009)