Trade between China and Africa reached a record US$106.84 billion in 2008, up 45.1 percent from a year earlier, customs figures showed on Wednesday.

Exports to Africa reached US$50.84 billion, up 36.3 percent. Imports from Africa hit US$56 billion, up 54 percent.

China had a trade deficit of US$5.16 billion with Africa in 2008, compared with a surplus of US$940 million in 2007.

The number of African countries with which China had more than US$1 billion in trade increased to 20 in 2008 from 14 in 2007.

Angola remained China's largest trading partner in Africa and South Africa came the second.

(Xinhua News Agency February 12, 2009)