China's 2017 trade surplus hits new high, but momentum likely to slow

Beijing

CHINA'S trade surplus hit a record high last year with both exports and imports growing strongly on robust demand for Chinese products.

But analysts say the world's second-largest economy is unlikely to keep the momentum as trade tensions rise with its main economic partner, the US, and as tough anti-pollution measures are expected to hit the country's industrial production.

China's exports for the full-year 2017 rose 7.9 per cent (the fastest rate since 2013) while imports gained 15.9 per cent (the best since 2011), a…