(Yicai) Dec. 7 -- The value of China’s imports and exports advanced 1.2 percent in November from a year ago, marking the second straight month of growth as global demand improves, according to the latest data. 

China’s foreign trade amounted to CNY3.7 trillion (USD515.5 million) in November, which is equivalent to USD515.5 billion, the same as a year earlier, per statistics released by the General Administration of Customs of China today.  

China’s imports and exports jumped for two consecutive months in the fourth quarter, said Lu Daliang, director of the Statistical Analysis Department at the administration. 

Foreign trade firms are getting more orders, according to a prosperity survey by China Customs. 

The country’s imports and exports amounted to CNY37.9 trillion in the first 11 months, same as the same period last year, China Customs said. This is equivalent to USD5.41 trillion, which is a drop of 5.6 percent from a year earlier. 

In US dollar terms, exports climbed 0.5 percent in November from a year ago, logging growth for the first time in six months, said Zheng Houcheng, head of a research institute under Yingda Securities.  Month on month, exports surged 6.9 percentage points.

The JPMorgan Global Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index climbed 0.5 percentage point last month from October to 49.30, indicating a more favorable environment for China’s exporters, Zheng said. Another reason for the increase is because of last year’s low base line. Last November exports slumped USD3 billion from the previous month, he added. 

In December, China’s exports will be much the same as a year ago, Zheng said. And exports this year in dollar terms will probably be less than last year. 

Trade with the country’s top three trade partners tumbled in November. Trade with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations dipped 5.3 percent year on year to USD81.4 billion, that with the EU slumped 7.6 percent to USD61.5 billion and that with the US plunged 12.2 percent to USD57.8 billion. 

But trade with Russia surged 26.7 percent, that with Brazil climbed 3.8 percent and that with Australia advanced 3.7 percent.  

Editor: Kim Taylor