Chinese exports contracted more than expected in May on weaker global demand for the country’s goods, as the world’s second-largest economy struggled to revive growth after a pandemic-induced slowdown last year.Exports contracted 7.5 per cent compared with the same period a year earlier, China’s General Administration of Customs said, well below analyst forecasts of an 0.4 per cent fall, according to a poll conducted by Reuters.

Imports performed better than expected, however, down 4.5 per cent year on year, compared with analysts’ expectations of an 8 per cent fall. This left the country’s monthly trade surplus at $65.81bn, down 16.1 per cent and below forecasts.

Some economists said the better than expected import figure indicated that the post-Covid recovery in China’s domestic economy remained on track despite the slowing of the powerful export sector. Imports had declined 7.9 per cent year on year in April, while exports had climbed 8.5 per cent, falling back from an unexpected jump in March.