Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
China December trade surplus shrinks to $13.1 bn
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Weekend Edition
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
China December trade surplus shrinks to $13.1 bn
AFP - 2 hours 27 minutes ago
Send
IM Story
Print
BEIJING (AFP) - – China said Monday its trade surplus shrank sharply in December, but the hefty figure is still likely to be a sticking point in trade talks when President Hu Jintao visits Washington next week.
The trade surplus narrowed to $13.1 billion in December, customs authorities said -- a sharp drop from the $22.9 billion recorded in November and below analyst forecasts given by Dow Jones Newswires for $21.7 billion.
But the figure will nevertheless add to the already huge volume of money flowing into the world's second-largest economy, and could fuel inflation.
Exports rose 17.9 percent in December from a year earlier to $154.15 billion while imports rose 25.6 percent to $141.07 billion, customs authorities said. The value of both exports and imports were record highs.
For all of 2010, the trade surplus stood at $183.1 billion compared with $196.1 billion in 2009.
Analysts said the figures would not silence calls from China's key trading partners, especially the United States, for Beijing to loosen its grip on the yuan and allow the currency to appreciate more quickly.
"I don't think one month of data will really convince the US congress to take it easy," Citigroup economist Ken Peng told AFP, referring to the drop in the December surplus.
Alistair Thornton, a Beijing-based analyst at IHS Global Insight, agreed, but said the data could give Hu, who will visit the United States from January 18-21, some wiggle room.
"The smaller surplus is not going to remove the rebalancing agenda from Hus Washington DC trip -- far from it -- but it may provide Hu with a bit of ammunition when the topic comes up," Thornton told AFP.
China maintains a tight control over the yuan despite pledging last June to let the currency trade more freely against the dollar.
Critics say the Chinese currency is massively undervalued and gives the country's exporters an unfair trade advantage by making their products artificially cheap.
For five of the past seven months, the politically sensitive trade surplus has been above $20 billion. December's figures was the smallest since April when it stood at $1.68 billion.
Peng said a sharp drop in crude oil exports contributed to the smaller surplus last month, as producers slashed shipments to meet soaring domestic demand.
Beijing has stepped up defence of its currency controls ahead of Hu's visit to Washington for talks with US President Barack Obama, saying last week that the yuan exchange rate is not the main cause of the Sino-US trade imbalance.
Foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the "international division of labour" and US export restrictions on high-tech products were contributing factors to China's trade surplus with the United States.
Hong told reporters China would continue to advance reform of its exchange rate mechanism -- remarks echoed by the central bank in a statement.
The still large trade surplus in December will add to the flood of money entering the economy and fuelling inflation as exporters exchange their foreign currency earnings with the central bank for yuan.
Currencies purchased by the People's Bank of China to prevent the yuan from appreciating too quickly add to China's already world-beating foreign exchange stockpile and exacerbate tensions with trade partners.
To alleviate that pressure, the government announced recently that the country's exporters no longer have to change their foreign exchange earnings into yuan.
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
Thai PTT expects consolidation plan to be ready Q1 Reuters - 22 minutes ago
Indonesia's Matahari says not selling hypermarkets AFP - 23 minutes ago
U.S. wants makers of Chinese drywall to fix U.S. homes Reuters - 27 minutes ago
MARKET EYE-Artson Engg shares jump 6 pct on order win Reuters - 28 minutes ago
US-BUSINESS Summary Reuters - 33 minutes ago
News Search
Top Stories
NY subway riders shed trousers, skirts, modesty
Virgin withholds Heathrow fees over snow chaos
Germany denies plan to press Portugal to seek bailout
Beckhams expecting fourth child
Victoria and David Beckham expecting fourth child
More Top Stories »
Related Full Coverage
China Economychina economy
All Full Coverage »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Falling blackbirds baffle Arkansas officials
Hasta la Vista: Arnie quits as California governor
Goldman deal 'values Facebook at $50 billion'
Spain lotto winner nearly loses millions by tossing tickets
Brazil's 2010 trade surplus lowest in 8 years: official
More Most Viewed »
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Weekend Edition
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo!
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Entertainment
Photos
Yahoo! News Network
Copyright © 2011 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Monday, 10 January 2011 At least 70 killed in Iranian passenger plane crash
|
France: Sahel no longer safe after al Qaeda attack
|
Tunisian government says 14 killed in clashes
|
Tens of thousands rally against changes in blasphemy law
|
Analysis: TV makers fumble towards the future: smarter TVs
|
True Grit wrangles top spot at box offices
|
Beckhams expecting fourth child in summer
|
NY subway riders shed trousers, skirts, modesty
Virgin withholds Heathrow fees over snow chaos
Millions vote in south Sudan independence poll
|
Germany denies plan to press Portugal to seek bailout
Iranian crash toll rises to 77 killed: report
|
Beckhams expecting fourth child
Young French hostages executed in Niger desert
Victoria and David Beckham expecting fourth child
Home appliances get 'smart' at CES
Hong Kong researchers store data in bacteria
Lebanon's Hariri urges more U.N. pressure on Israel
|
France warns of Sahel threat after hostages killed
CES triumphs bode well for Motorola Mobility rebirth
Hangover sets in on Spanish debt markets
Suspect in Arizona shootings to appear in court
Germany vows action after dioxin scare
China defense chief says military hardware drive no threat
|
Britain parries threat to Queen's head on stamps
S.Sudan leader wants 'coexistence' with north
Shooting suspect's nihilism rose with isolation
Flash floods hit Australia's third biggest city
|
Britain defends disputed EU referendum plans
Automaker Saab replaces key US executive
Sarkozy takes G20 case to Obama as food prices soar
|
Authorities charge man, 22, with assassination try
Magnitude 5.9 quake hits Chile, no damage reported
|
Factbox
Minimum and maximum temperatures in Celsius
Kosovo PM's party wins vote rerun, but margin cut
|
Tunisian government says 14 killed in clashes
|
Bitter politics of Arizona loom over shooting
Giffords: Dem who wins in conservative district
S. Korea cool to N. Korea dialogue offer
2010 Chinese box office surges to $1.5 billion
Factbox
S. Korean hackers trade cyber blows with N. Korea
Iran police confirm US woman 'spy' arrested
UltraViolet lights way to lifetime movie watching rights
Australian gunned down in Cambodia
Fiery package addressed to Homeland Security chief
Gates urges firmer military ties with China
Hong Kong fortune teller seeks tycoon's estate
Seoul shares end lower; banks, tech plays fall
Beijing's 'mice' seek shelter from high costs
Nintendo promises sufficient 3DS supply: report
Thaksin addresses red shirt rally in Bangkok
Youthful Vienna Ballet continues revival
UPDATE 1-KDB in talks to buy Southeast Asian bank
Indian religious guru admits sleeping with more than 20 women
'True Grit' shoots its way to box office lead
Disney and Yahoo in internet TV content talks: report
|
Flash floods hit Australia's third biggest city
UltraViolet lights way to lifetime movie watching rights
China's Shaolin Temple builds business empire
S.Korea KOGAS says Dec LNG imports up 12 pct
Peter Andre named UK's 'hardest-working' singer
Gates in China to shore up uneasy military ties
Banks, techs send Seoul shares lower
Waitress was on phone to doctor of dying Jackson
S&PBulletin: raating on three Korean Automakers unaffected
Nissan confident in Renault's handling of spy ring
China December trade surplus shrinks to $13.1 bn
Taiwan sells 20-year bonds at 2.136 pct yield
True Grit wrangles top spot at box offices
|
Baz Luhrmann might shoot Great Gatsby in 3D
|
Salma Hayek, ABC developing a Wicked miniseries
|
What True Grit has in common with The Blind Side
|
US-TECH Summary
Cape star James Frain reveals show's secrets
|
Balls, blocks, cars among high-tech toys at CES
Beckhams expecting fourth child in summer
|
Tablets, smart gadgets rule at Consumer Electronics Show
Nintendo to ship 1.5 million 3DS in Japan by end-March: report
Facebook denies shutdown rumors
Google's Android stars at electronics show
Car tech dazzles at Consumer Electronics Show
Home appliances get 'smart' at CES
Analysis: TV makers fumble towards the future: smarter TVs
Cyber sex on offer as adult industry adapts
Clinton says sanctions are slowing Iran atom work
ETA declares permanent ceasefire
Blackberry maker says will filter porn to meet Indonesia rules
Apple shuns CES but accessories a hit
Disney and Yahoo in internet TV content talks: report
Iran Air crash toll rises to 77
S.Korea battles bird flu, foot-and-mouth
Spanish government rejects ETA ceasefire move
|
Three Afghan police killed by Taliban car bomb
Pakistan assassin says he acted alone
Netanyahu defends settlement after U.S. criticism
|
Iran says it has arrested spy ring linked to Israel
Clinton says sanctions are slowing Iran atom work
|
Iran rights lawyer 'jailed for 11 years'
Iran human rights activist jailed for 11 years
|
S. Korea rejects N. Korea's call for talks
Probe after Iran Air crash kills 77
Police fire into air at Tunisia clash: witnesses
|
Sudan border clashes kill 36 as south votes-officials
Chili crisis tests Indonesians love for spicy food
North Korea offers talks but South repeats dialogue conditions
|
UN chief backs Lebanon tribunal on Hariri
FEATURE: 'Kids are a gift from God,' says dad of 13
Indonesia's jailed graft suspect says he can help catch 'big fish'
US troops wage war with cash in Afghanistan
2010 Chinese box office surges to $1.5 billion
Asia witnesses soccer power shift
Lebanon's Hariri urges more U.N. pressure on Israel
Hindu "terror" vs corruption splits India's politics
Bangladesh clashes as stocks dive 9.25%
Governor's murder deepens fears of Pakistani Christians
Pakistani stocks end lower; rupee weakens; o/n rates flat
Taiwan's TSMC sales rise more than 40% in 2010
Serbia's Sandzak languishes amid bitter Muslim divide
Supreme Court won't review music download antitrust case
|
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
China follows capsule hotel trend amid travel boom
Winter weather slams South with snow, icy roads
Baz Luhrmann might shoot "Great Gatsby" in 3D
China's 2010 auto sales top 18 mn units
Ex DC school chief takes reform message nationwide
Salma Hayek, ABC developing a "Wicked" miniseries
Blackberry maker says will filter porn to meet Indonesia rules
|
What "True Grit" has in common with "The Blind Side"
Indonesia's Matahari says not selling hypermarkets
"Cape" star James Frain reveals show's secrets
Police baton-charge Dhaka share protesters
Analysis: TV makers fumble towards the future
|
Indonesia president's tough talk on forests
Insurance fraud rings find fertile ground in Canada
South Sudan eyes basketball as new national pride
Saudi abuser of Indonesian maid jailed: report
Bond girl, new Spider-Man among BAFTA nominees
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights