China's global trade surplus rose to a record monthly high of US$14.5 billion in June, the Ministry of Commerce said Monday. Exports rose 23% from a year earlier to US$81.3 billion while imports climbed 19% to US$66.8 billion. The previous record surplus for a single month was US$13 billion in May. The trade surplus has soared in recent months after hitting a historic high of US$102 billion last year, more than triple the US$32 billion surplus in 2004. The surplus for the first half of the year stands at US$61.5 billion, a 55% jump over last year's first-half surplus of US$39.7 billion. The surge comes despite efforts by central planners to reduce China's dependence on export- and investment-led growth and rely more on domestic consumption.
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