According to the Chinese customs authorities, China recorded a surprisingly large trade deficit of $7.3 billion in February.
The trade deficit was due in significant part to the long Spring Festival holiday break in early February, which hindered export activity.
The February figure is China's first monthly trade deficit since March 2010. In the first two months this year, China posted an aggregate trade deficit of $890 million.
In February, China's exports rose by 2.4 percent year on year to $96.74 billion, while its imports increased by 19.4 percent year on year to $104.04 billion.
China's foreign trade volume in February increased by 10.6 percent year on year to $200.78 billion. For the first two months of the year, China's foreign trade volume totaled $495.83 billion, representing a 28.3 percent rise from the same period in the previous year.