China's exports rise 7.2 pct in August

China's exports rose 7.2 percent year on year to 190.73 billion U.S. dollars in August, according to customs figures released on Sunday.

The growth rate was 2.1 percentage points higher than July.

Imports also rose in August, gaining 7 percent to 162.12 billion U.S. dollars, the General Administration of Customs said in an online statement.

Total foreign trade grew 7.1 percent in August over the same month of 2012 to 352.85 billion U.S. dollars, said the statement.

Trade surplus widened by 8.3 percent year on year to 28.61 billion U.S. dollars in August, as export gains outpaced import gains.

In August, trade with the European Union, China's largest trade partner, rose 3.2 percent, while that with the United States, China's second-largest trade partner, rose 9.2 percent.

Trade with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) members increased 13.2 percent. And trade with Japan shrank 5.7 percent during the period.

Exports of electronics and machinery products grew by 6.8 percent to reach 106.54 billion U.S. dollars in August, accounting for 55.9 percent of the total exports.