China exports rise after year-long decline

China's exports rose 17.7% in December compared with a year earlier, breaking a 13-month decline in trade, state media has reported.

Xinhua said total exports for 2009 were $1.2tn (£7.5tn), which could mean China had overtaken Germany as the world's largest exporter, some reports say.

But Xinhua said total foreign trade over the year was down 13.9% from 2008.

A customs office spokesman said the increase was "an important turning point" for China.

"It is safe to say now that Chinese exporters have come right through the period of weakness," said statistician Huang Guohua at the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

GAC said 2009 imports were $1.01tn, down 11.2% from in 2008, while the total trade surplus was down 34.2% to $196.1bn.

The slowing decline in Chinese trade has been taken as a sign that the country's stimulus package is working.

Beijing raised value added tax rebates on exports several times in 2009, increased tax refunds and improved export credit insurance.

The central bank has also effectively halted the yuan's rise against the dollar since July 2008.