Chinese officials announced the latest trade data on Monday after 10-day delay. It shows that export growth slowed in September for the second month in a row. The value of China's exports in dollar terms grew 5.7 percent from the same month last year, which is 1.4 percentage points lower than the previous month. The value of imports rose 0.3 percent.
Exports to the United States dropped significantly, and exports to the European Union increased at a lower rate. The economic slowdowns in the US and the EU are likely pushing down demand for Chinese products. China's trade with Russia remained strong amid economic sanctions on Moscow by Western nations. Crude oil imports to China from Russia rose about 21 percent year-on-year, and liquefied natural gas climbed about 32 percent.