China's Trade Slump Eases in September

BEIJING (AP) -- The slump in China's exports eased in September in a sign global trade is improving and bolstering the government's efforts to sustain an economic recovery.

Exports from the world's third-largest economy in September fell 15.2 percent year-on-year to $115.9 billion. Imports declined by 3.5 percent to $103 billion.

Both declines were improvements over August, when exports contracted 23 percent, and imports fell 17 percent.

China's trade collapsed in late 2008, battered by the global economic crisis, but Beijing's 4 trillion yuan ($596 billion) stimulus package has helped to insulate the country's economy by heavy spending on public works construction and other initiatives.

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