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| China's trade surplus falls to $16.9bn | China's trade surplus falls to $16.9bn |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The gap between China's imports and exports narrowed in September, official data has shown. | The gap between China's imports and exports narrowed in September, official data has shown. |
| But analysts say the decline is unlikely to ease the pressure on Beijing to strengthen its currency. | But analysts say the decline is unlikely to ease the pressure on Beijing to strengthen its currency. |
| The US has been among its strongest critics, claiming China deliberately undervalues the yuan, boosting China's exports by making them cheap. | The US has been among its strongest critics, claiming China deliberately undervalues the yuan, boosting China's exports by making them cheap. |
| China's trade surplus fell to a five-month low of $16.9bn (£10.7bn), down from $20bn in August. | China's trade surplus fell to a five-month low of $16.9bn (£10.7bn), down from $20bn in August. |
| Exports rose 25.1% year-on-year in September to $145bn, but the pace of growth was slower than the 34.4% growth seen in August. | Exports rose 25.1% year-on-year in September to $145bn, but the pace of growth was slower than the 34.4% growth seen in August. |
| Imports rose 24.1% year-on-year to a record high of $128.1bn, compared with August's growth of 35.2%. | Imports rose 24.1% year-on-year to a record high of $128.1bn, compared with August's growth of 35.2%. |
| 'Plenty of scope' | |
| Despite the data, Brian Jackson, senior strategist at Royal Bank of Canada in Hong Kong, said that China would still be under pressure to let the yuan appreciate. | |
| "I think the fact that their exports are still very strong suggests that there's plenty of scope for them to do more on the currency," he told the AFP news agency. | |
| In June, China pledged to let the yuan trade more freely against the dollar. Since then it has advanced about 2% against the US currency. | |
| But the US has pressed for China to do more to allow the yuan to appreciate. | |
| The House of Representatives has backed a bill that treats undervalued currencies as illegal export subsidies, which could pave the way for trade sanctions on China. | |
| Beijing has said it is "resolutely opposed" to the bill. |