Mubasher: China’s imports soared by 13.2% in September, recording their fastest pace this year, compared to a drop of 2.1% in August, Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing official data.

Meanwhile, exports of the world’s second-biggest economy grew by 9.9% year-on-year (YoY) last month, up from 9.5% in August, customs data showed.

This robust trade performance signals a recovery from the coronavirus hit to global orders.

“The big picture is that outbound shipments remain strong, with easing demand for COVID-19 related goods such as face masks being mostly offset by a recovery in broader demand for Chinese-made consumer goods,” Capital Economics Senior China Economist, Julian Evans-Pritchard, said.

Imports from the US jumped by 24.7% YoY, while imports from Australia declined by 9.5%.

Due to the rise in imports, trade surplus narrowed to $37 billion in September, compared to $58.93 billion in August.