Beijing, Feb 10 (Inditop.com) China’s foreign trade posted a 44.4-percent growth in January year on year, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) announced Wednesday.

Exports in January stood at $109.47 billion, up 21 percent from a year earlier, while imports rose 85.5 percent to $95.31 billion, Xinhua reported.

The hefty increase was due to lower comparison bases a year ago when China’s exports were hard hit by global financial crisis and less working days as the Lunar New Year holiday fell in January last year, the administration explained.

The trade surplus contracted 63.8 percent to $14.16 billion.