(Yicai) Sept. 9 -- China's imports and exports of goods rose for the third consecutive month in August, with the country accelerating its shift to trading with economies different from the United States due to tariff uncertainties.

The value of China's foreign trade climbed 3.1 percent to USD541.3 billion (USD75.9 billion) last month from a year earlier, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs yesterday. Exports jumped 4.4 percent to USD321.8 billion, while imports rose 1.3 percent to USD219.5 billion.

Imports and exports from China rose 5.9 percent in July from a year ago, with the former climbing 4.1 percent and the latter 7.2 percent. The figures increased by 3.9 percent, 1.1 percent, and 5.8 percent, respectively, in June.

The slowed export growth last month was mainly due to the higher base level a year earlier, but the further decline in US trade also dragged it down, Wang Qing, chief macro analyst at Golden Credit Rating International, told Yicai.

China's exports to the US plunged 33 percent to USD31.6 billion in August, widening from a 22 percent year-over-year drop in July.

"We estimate that exports to the US dragged down the overall export growth rate by about 5.1 percentage points last month," Wang said. "Although the Stockholm economic and trade talks held between China and the US extended the moratorium on hiking tariffs by 90 days, the current US tariffs on Chinese goods are as high as 41.3 percent, increasing downward momentum on China's relevant exports."

China's exports to major trading partners other than the US rose faster last month, reflecting the further acceleration of its trade shift due to the new tariffs, Wang said, adding that this also highlights that trade diversification has played a buffer role in the fluctuations of the external environment.

China's exports to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, its largest trading partner, surged 23 percent last month from a year ago, up from a 17 percent jump the previous month. Exports to the European Union rose 10 percent, up from 9 percent, and to Japan climbed 6.7 percent, up from 2.4 percent.

Exports from China to the US will continue to tumble this month, leading to further narrowing in the country's overall export growth, according to Wang. The US suspension of the duty-free treatment for imported packages worth less than USD800 on Aug. 29 will significantly impact China's exports, he added.

China's foreign trade climbed 2.5 percent to USD4.1 trillion in the eight months ended Aug. 31, according to official figures. Exports rose 5.9 percent to USD2.4 trillion, while imports dropped 2.2 percent to USD1.7 trillion.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Martin Kadiev