BEIJING (Reuters) - China's exports jumped 48.3 percent in February from a year earlier, while imports fell 20.5 percent, producing a trade surplus of $60.6 billion for the month, the General Administration of Customs said on Sunday.
That compared with market expectations in a Reuters poll of a rise of 14.2 percent in exports, a 10 percent fall in imports and a trade surplus of $10.8 billion.
For the first two months of 2015, exports rose 15 percent from a year ago, while imports fell 20.2 percent.
Premier Li Keqiang said on Thursday the government would target economic growth of around 7 percent this year, down from 7.4 percent in 2014 and signalling the slowest expansion for a quarter of a century.
A cooling property market, excess manufacturing capacity, deflationary pressures and a crackdown on corruption are all expected to weigh on the economy in 2015, prompting further cuts in interest rates and bank reserve requirements.
(This story corrects to read trade surplus of $60.6 bln, not deficit in para 1)