China exports up more than forecast, imports unexpectedly down in May

A man works on a dock at Lianyungang port in Lianyungang, east China's Jiangsu province. China's overseas shipments rose 7% in May from a year earlier. - AP

BEIJING: China’s exports increased more than estimated in May while imports unexpectedly fell and the trade surplus surged.

Overseas shipments rose 7% from a year earlier, the Beijing-based customs administration said. That compared with the median estimate for a 6.7% gain in a Bloomberg survey of analysts. Projections of 43 analysts ranged from a decline of 1.8% to an increase of 10.4%.