(Yicai) June 7 -- China has seen a further improvement in trade data, according to figures released today by the General Administration of Customs.

The country’s total trade in goods rose 6.3 percent in the first five months from a year ago to CNY17.5 trillion (USD2.42 trillion), with exports rising 6.1 percent to CNY9.95 trillion (USD1.37 trillion).

The 6.3 percent gain was higher than the 5.7 percent increase posted in the first four months, and the gain in exports was 1.2 point higher. But imports slowed, with growth falling 0.4 point from the 6.8 percent increase seen in the January to April period.

May’s export gains were above market expectations, thanks partly to the low base a year ago but also stronger export momentum, said Feng Lin, a research director at Golden Credit Rating. Exports have been improving because external demand is recovering and policies to stabilize trade are showing effect, Feng noted.

China has supply chain advantages and products with high performance-cost ratios, so it will be possible to gain more market share in developed economies, the macro research team at Zheshang Securities said in a recent research note.

The main beneficiaries will be medium and high-end textile clothing, as well as light industry, machinery, home appliances, and furniture, they said.

China’s home appliance exports rose in value by 18 percent over the first five months, GACC data showed. There were even larger rises of 24 percent for autos and 100 percent for vessels.

In the five-month period, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was China's biggest trade partner at CNY2.77 trillion, up 11 percent on the year and making up 16 percent of the total. China had a trade surplus of CNY579.2 billion (USD80 billion) with ASEAN, up 28 percent on year.

The European Union was China's second-biggest trade partner with CNY2.23 trillion, down 1.3 percent on year and making up 13 percent of the total. China had a trade surplus of CNY678 million (USD93.6 million) with the EU, up 1.5 percent. 

China-US goods trade reached CNY1.87 trillion in the same period, rising 2 percent year on year and making up 11 percent of the total. China's trade surplus with the United States expanded 7.2 percent to CNY911.2 billion.

Editor: Tom Litting